Love and Dragonstones
by Adrien Celsius
Summary: Age means nothing when it comes to matters of the heart. Robin find's himself smitten with the sprightly Manakete Nowi, and the feelings are mutual. Despite her childish appearance and behavior, Robin will vow to find a way to make it work. Spoilers for Chapter 8(in-game) and beyond.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Okay, so my first fanfiction. This is a story based around my take on the relationship between Nowi and Fire Emblem Awakening's Avatar(Robin). I'm planning on including somewhat altered versions of their supports and maybe even including the time skip. I haven't seen to much of this couple, so I figure I'd take a crack at it. Reviews and feedback are always welcome.**

**Disclaimer: I do _not _own any of the following characters. All characters owned by Intelligent Systems and Nintendo.**

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**Chapter 1**

The previous battle was furious and quite taxing on the Shepherds. They had their first run in with the Plegian cultists known as the Grimleal, followers of the Fell Dragon, Grima. Grima. Something about that name sent a chill up Robin's spine. He couldn't tell where he heard that name, he figured it may have been something he forgot when he suffered from his amnesia. Despite this all, he was dead tired from the fighting that he and the Shepherds all thankfully survived. Fighting on Plegian sand was no easy feet. Cavaliers were near useless due to the dunes and jagged rocks of the desert, so reinforcements weren't a luxury they could not afford for the rest of this campaign. Nevertheless, Robin still had a job to do.

After the encounter, the Shepherds set up camp around the oasis, in front of the three small towns that dotted this area of Plegia. As thanks, some of the townsfolk visited their campgrounds and offered spare weapons and rations for keeping them safe and warning them of the Grimleal threat. Thankfully, they would not have to worry about food for the night, as that was provided en mass as well by the grateful townsfolk. While Frederick was taking stock of the offerings, Robin was walking towards the oasis by the edge of the campsite. He knelt in front of the water and looked at himself in the pool's reflection. The setting sun gave it an orange hue, making his silver hair shine almost ethereally. He scooped up the water in the oasis and splashed his face a few times, then dunked his head in completely to remove the copius amount of sand that had gotten trapped in his hair during the battle.

After lifting his head out and twisting the sand and water out of his locks, Chrom walked up behind Robin and patted his shoulder. "Another excellent day, Robin. We're not much farther from the Plegian capital. It will take less than a day for us to reach Plegia Castle and we'll have rescued Emm by noon. I really appreciate all that you have done for us. We couldn't have gotten this far without you." Robin rubbed his eyes dry and stood up. "Well, I wouldn't say excellent, what with the sand hindering us, but it did provide some good training for when we actually storm the capital's territory. They are likely to have the same terrain, so now I can make plans to better suit us." Chrom smiled at his response. "See? That sort of thinking and initiative is what I was referring to. Already you've thought of ways to keep us fighting in top form after just one short battle." he said. "Chrom, please, I can practically feel my head swell!" Robin laughed. "Anyways, I've still got to speak with our new Shepherds-to-be before my job is done. I'll just be off then." he said, and walked passed Chrom to the large debriefing tent where their tactics and meetings were usually held.

Inside the tent were the sellsword, Gregor, and the "young" Manakete, Nowi, who were a good help with repelling the Grimleal hours prior. Robin stepped inside the tent to meet the two and was glad to see that Nowi had warmed up to Gregor in such a short time. It would never do to have bad blood between the Shepherds, so seeing them become fast friends meant their trust in each other would serve them well on the battlefield. Robin sat opposite of them on a table in the center of the tent and clasped his hands together. "Thank you for waiting, you two." he said. He noticed Nowi was riffling through her long blonde and pale green locks as well. It seemed he wasn't the only one who got sand in his hair during that battle. "First of all, I'd like to extend my appreciation and thanks for you two helping out today. The Shepherds aren't used to fighting on this rough terrain, and we had very limited access to our cavaliers."

"No problem!" Nowi spoke up, cheerfully with a wide grin. "Those bullies deserved it anyways after trying to take me hostage again. Something about a sacrifice to some 'Grimey' guy." she said, her sparkling, purple irises rose upward as she thought carefully about who this 'Grimey' person was. Although Robin knew she must have meant Grima. Again that name itched at the back of his mind, as if it was trying to tell hims something, like one of his lost memories were trying to resurface.

"Is something bothering you, friend?" Gregor asked. He sat back in his chair, cross-armed and focused on Robin, his face barely showing emotion. "You look like you are having the troubles."

Robin snapped out of his thoughts for a second. "Hm? Oh, sorry, I was just remembering something. Um, so, the reason I called you two here is because I've taken note of your abilities during our battle and was hoping the two of you would join the Shepherds and help in our cause to rescue Exalt Emmeryn and put down Gangrel for trying to start a war with Ylisse." he asked.

While Nowi mulled over her answer, Gregor made no hesitation, "Gregor will fight for any side, so long as you make with the greasing of palms, yes?" he asked with a sly smirk. Robin nodded inwardly, remembering Gregor's past declaration of being a sword for hire. Ironically, the group that the Shepherds put down was a former employer of the man, only turning sides because they threatened the life of a young girl.

"Ah, right, you're a sell sword. Well, rest assured that if we can stop King Gangrel, I'll see to it that you'll be paid for your services, Gregor." Gregor extended a hand to Robin, who met with his in a deal-sealing handshake."Then, we are in business!" he exclaimed with a hearty laugh.

The tactician then turned to the young-looking Manakete who was still thinking over her decision, "And you, Nowi? You're free to say no, but your dragon prowess could serve the Shepherds very well." Continuing to think her decision over, Nowi finally came to an answer with a dismissive but certain shrug, "Mmm. Sure! Why not? You did help get rid of those mean people, so it's only fair that I help you out too!" she said happily with her iconic smile. Robin rose from his seat and clasped his hands together. "Excellent. The Shepherds are happy to have you both!" he said, shaking both of their hands.

The three of them exited the tent and headed off towards the mess tent for a victory dinner. Robin figured he should have a meal before his nightly strategic meetings with Chrom and Frederick. The villagers supplied a good amount of bear meat to the Shepherds' cause, and _someone_ had to be there to take Frederick's portion.

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**A/N: And that's chapter one so far. I know it was pretty short but I gotta start somewhere. The next chapter will most likely be longer as it will account for the battle at Plegia Castle.**

**EDIT: Re-edited for you convenience and reading pleasure! **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Alright. Chapter 2. I figure I'd better get this started while the scenarios and ideas are fresh in my head. On a personal note, I'm somewhat surprised this story got some positive feedback, considering its rocky start(yeah, I know it was short and I am VERY aware of my beginner level grammatical issues...). But thanks to some reviews and feedback, I've vowed to make the chapters cleaner and meatier. Thanks for the honesty everyone, always appreciated, negative or positive. **

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**Chapter 2**

The sun was barely dawning over the landscape. The sandy hills were shifting ever so gently from the wind and most of the Shepherds had already awaken from their tents and packed their amenities away in the convoy and wagons for the trip ahead. Robin was starting his daily routine, with checking in with each member of the army and keeping tabs on their condition for the day. It was something he prided himself on. He never liked sending a fellow warrior into battle, not knowing if they were still reeling from an arrow to the shoulder or worse.

Going down the list, me marked off nearly everyone for the trip ahead... _Almost_ everyone. "Alright... Stahl and Sully are ready to head out... Maribelle and Lissa are getting their staves together aaand... Nowi..." he remarked with a raised eyebrow. He almost slapped his forehead after reading her newly scribbled name on the roster without a daily check next to it. "Ahh. I should have known better than to leave a new recruit unchecked." he huffed under his breath.

Surveying the nearly packed campsite he noticed some of the Shepherds were still packing their tents away, except for one. This particular one was Lissa's tent. Odd, she always packed her things away when she was ready to march. He just witnessed her trading and comparing proper staves with Maribelle. He walked up to Lissa, excusing himself for interrupting.

"Morning Lissa. I noticed your tent hasn't been folded up and placed in the convoy. We've got to be ready as early as possible, can you please take care of that?" he asked, politely nudging her in the direction of her tent. He wasn't one to do that normally, but seeing as how they had a very short window of time before Emmeryn's scheduled public execution, it was important to stay efficient yet level-headed in such a situation. "But-" she started.

"Oh, darling, didn't you hear?" Maribelle spoke, while placing a Mend staff into the sidebag that hung from her horse. Robin cringed at hearing her call him 'darling', she was still teasing him about them being 'intimate friends' after a slang fiasco that happened shortly before marching to Plegia. "Lissa invited Nowi to bunk with her for the night until we could secure a proper tent. Honestly, Robin, it was careless to not request proper sleeping arrangements for our new recruits. Why that Gregor brute was prowling the camp grounds tirelessly the entire night. 'Twoudln't due to have a groggy Shepherd in the field of battle, would it?" she said, with an obvious look of scold that she usually gave to those who irritated her.

Robin sighed in frustration after hearing this. Leaving Shepherds without a place to sleep for the night was hardly a mistake an army's military advisor and tactical planner could afford, and just after Chrom commended him on his skills. Lissa interjected, stepping in front of Robin, as Maribelle had a bad habit of swatting people who irked her with her parasol. "Don't be too hard on him Maribelle. He's doing the best he can, and the pressure is probably really tough, y'know? He's practically got an entire Holidom resting on his shoulders." she then turned to Robin. "Sorry. I guess I should have told you about it last night. I had the chance before your meeting with Chrom but I was just so excited to talk to a Manakete, that I kinda forgot." she admitted, holding her Heal staff close to her chest defensively.

Robin ran his right hand through his silver hair and exhaled slightly. "Don't worry about it, Lissa. It was probably just a one time situation. I'll go and get Nowi, and you continue preparing for our trip ahead, alright?" he said with a warm smile. He forgot sometimes, even though Lissa was royalty and should have a sense of responsibility, she is still quite young. Her juvenile mistakes were somewhat of an endearing quality, so he didn't hold much against her if she made an error. Although he could due without her pranks she pulled on the Shepherds from time to time.

Robin turned away and left the ladies to themselves while he headed to Lissa's tent. Just before going into the tent, he called to Nowi to see if she was awake, or decent. "Nowi? We have to get going, are you ready?" No answer. All he could hear was slight snoring and faint babble. Robin raised an eyebrow from hearing that, surely she wasn't still asleep, was she? Someone had to have told her to be up bright and early for their march to the Plegian capital. Without seeing any alternative, Robin closed his eyes and poked his head into the tent. He opened his eyes only slightly, and saw that other than one bedroll, a neatly folded stack of clothes next to it and a glowing green sphere, the tent was completely empty. Lissa probably packed her things away and let Nowi sleep for a little while. This made things a lot easier, he pictured the tent in a different light, with Lissa's familiar clutter lying about.

He stepped inside and knelt next to Nowi's bedroll and gently shook her shoulder. "Nowi, we've got to get going. Wake up, please." he said, shaking her a little more. He didn't have much luck getting her to rise from her slumber, only a bit more mumbling and her pulling a blanket over her head. Robin huffed a bit and shook her up even more. "Come on! We've got no time to waste, wake up!" he said, raising his voice a bit. Still no reaction. Shaking her a third time would not likely yield any other results, and he certainly wasn't going to tear the blanket off her. Judging by her clothes to the side she wasn't dressed, and the last thing he needed was a fellow Shepherd walking in on him with his hands on an undressed young girl.

He certainly couldn't strike her to get up, like he often did with Vaike when he would ask for an extra few minutes. Manakete or not, hitting a woman that wasn't an enemy wasn't in his moral fiber. He thought for a second on what was the best way to wake her up without using too much force... and quickly. His eyes drifted to the large green ball that sat atop her clothes. He remembered this was the same object she held aloft when she turned into her dragon form yesterday. Surely something this precious and important would warrant her to get up quickly. He grabbed the stone and held it just over her head. "Nowi~!" he called in a singsong voice, "I've got your dragonstone! I wonder if it will float in the oasis! Maybe I should give it a try?" he teased

The second Robin finished his sentence, Nowi's eyes shot open. "No! Don't! Give it back!" she yelled and darted from her bedroll and tackling Robin. "Don't even think about it, or I'll turn you into charcoal!" she said, her eyes starting to well up. Nowi snatched the dragonstone from his hand and nuzzled it lovingly with her cheeks. Robin's cheeks, however, were flushed red. In Nowi's rash movement, she failed to notice that she was practically on top of him in nothing but her smallclothes. Nowi noticed this immediately and hopped off him, and scampered about the tent, getting her clothes on. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sooo sorry!" she pleaded, as she hopped on one foot, getting her purple boots on.

The commotion was starting to catch the attention of Lissa, who went over to see if Nowi was ready to leave. She stopped just barely in front of the tent's flap, hearing all the apologies thumping about. Lissa finally went inside. "What's going on in here?" she she saw nothing provocative, as Nowi had gotten all of her clothes on, and was fixing her purple cape around her neck. Robin quickly shot back, "Nothing!" in an almost panicked voice. He then cleared his throat and started over. "What I meant to say was, I was just waking Nowi up. That's all." he said. Lissa cocked her head to the side, "Well... what was all the apologizing for?" she asked. Nowi raised her right hand in response, "Oh! That was just me saying sorry for sleeping in! I forgot you told me last night we had to get up early but, well, I tend to sleep in anyways..." she said, chuckling nervously.

Lissa was still puzzled, if that was true, then what was all the thumping around about? Before she could ask, Robin walked passed her and out the tent "W-Well then! I'd better go and inform Chrom of our plans for the day!" he said, walking rather fast to meet Chrom and Frederick. Nowi and Lissa stood in the tent for a second or two, just staring at each other in the awkward silence. "And, I gotta... go... polish my dragonstone!" Nowi said, holding it hold and running passed Lissa as well. Lissa stood alone, even more puzzled. She simply shrugged it off and stepped outside to take her tent down. She'll worry about it later when Emmeryn was safe and sound.

* * *

The sun was now fully visible in the morning sky. By it's position it would be about 2 hours before Emmeryn was to be killed. Robin had made sure to calculate their time of arrival. They would be cutting it close, but they would have time to spare if they kept up at the pace they were going. Already they were entering the outskirts of the capital. The castle itself, punctuated by the enormous hollowed skull of a long dead beast, was within sight. Robin stared in awe at the sheer size of such a fossil. What manner of beast could produce something like this? And how large was the body if it's head was this large?

Frederick took note of Robin's intrigue. "Quite a site, eh?" he spoke. "That, Robin, is the skull of the Fell Dragon, Grima. It serves as a landmark of his defeat at the hands of Chrom's ancestor, and the first exalt of Ylisse 1000 years prior." Robin's brow furrowed at the mention of that name again. He couldn't explain it, but something tugged at his heartstrings whenever he heard the name Grima. The feeling wasn't... bad, per se. On the one hand, a name like Fell Dragon couldn't produce something good, but at the same time, he had this feeling of familiarity when he heard the name, like hearing the name of a relative you've forgotten a long time ago. Robin shook his head, and focused his thoughts on what was ahead, OTHER than Grima's large head, but he just couldn't. He wanted to know a little bit about this Grima. Why did hearing the name always give him this odd feeling?

Robin looked over his shoulder at Nowi. She did mention that despite her young appearance, she was pushing over 1000 years old. "Excuse me, Frederick, I have to go consult Nowi on something." he said, turning away and walking to Nowi, who was tossing her dragonstone around like a plaything. For someone who threatened to burn him into charcoal, she sure wasn't treating it very respectfully. Of course, he _did_ tease her about throwing it into an oasis... After remembering that, and the situation that ensued after, he was shaky about approaching her. If she had a mind to, she could always eat him. He took a deep breath and walked up to her calmly, although trying not to sweat from nervousness.

"Hello, Nowi. Can I talk to you for a bit?" Robin asked. Nowi stopped tossing her dragonstone and placed it into a pouch she kept that hung off her white belt.

"Hiya, Robin! What'cha wanna talk about?" she asked cheerfully. Robin was taken aback by how she was so... upbeat. Did she forget about what happened hours ago? It was just like yesterday, how she practically became best friends with Gregor not long after she thought he was going to kill her. He couldn't tell if she was just trusting, or if Manaketes mature slower than humans due to their seemingly unlimited lifespan. She did look like she was a teenager after all, but after living for a millenium, surely she would have had ample time to grow as a normal human?

"Hellooooo?" Nowi said, waving a gloved hand before Robin's eyes. "You okay there?" she asked.

Robin snapped out of his thoughts. _'I've really got to stop doing that...' _He thought to himself. "Er, sorry. What I wanted to ask was, if you knew about a dragon named Grima." he hoped she would remember from the 'Grimey' comment she made yesterday. Her being a Manakete of over 1000 and knowing about Grima was too good of a coincidence.

Nowi pursed her lips and thought, one of her signatures, next to her smile that Robin noticed. "Grima... Grima... Oh yeah! The Fell Dragon! I've seen heard about him before. It was a looong time ago though." she said. "Why? Is there something you wanna know about him?" she asked.

Robin was excited that Nowi knew about this Grima. "Well, I've never heard about Grima... Or, maybe I did. I don't know exactly." he said. Nowi looked at him puzzled. Did he know about Grima or not? "See, the thing is Nowi, I lost my memories some time ago, but everytime I hear Grima's name, something... inside me feels like it's trying to tell me something." he explained.

"Ooh! I hate that feeling." Nowi said. "Like, how you try to remember someone's name, and it's at the tip of your tongue, but you can never get it? It drives me crazy." Not the way Robin would have put it, but she understood his feelings. "Right, and I was wondering, if you knew anything about Grima, maybe it could help me unearth my lost memories?" he asked with a hopeful look.

"Oh... Well, I don't know much about him, but I'd be happy to help you learn more. Maybe you can tell me more about yourself too when you get your memories back." she said with a smile.

Huh? That last comment sounded odd to Robin. Why would Nowi cae to know more about his past? "Oh, sure. I guess I could do that if you help... but, why though?" he asked. Nowi kept that same smile as she explained. "Well, you seem like a nice guy. You helped me out when I was in trouble and you didn't even know me. Then you let me join the Shepherds and now I've started making friends with all these nice people. I don't really like being alone... So, anyone who would be so nice and ask for nothing that big in return is fun to know about!" she exclaimed, giddily tossing her dragonstone again. "I can't wait 'til the fighting's over so you can tell me more about yourself!"

Again, Robin was taken aback by how straightforward Nowi was. In less than a day of knowing each other, she treated him like a friend she had known her whole life, already offering to help him out. Robin couldn't help but smile at this. Her innocent nature was very heartwarming, and in such dark times of war, kindness like this was always appreciated. Before he could continue their conversation, he heard Chrom calling him to the front of the march. He thanked Nowi for her time and headed to meet Chrom.

* * *

Within the next hour, the Shepherds were practically a stones ' throw away from the courtyard of Plegia Castle. Already, Robin had set up a small attack team based on the battle with the Grimleal from yesterday. The terrain was almost the same too. Sandy ground, jagged rocky aread spread about, some abandoned and half broken down barrocks and a large wall of rock seperated the Shepherds from themselves and a force of Plegia's finest troops. This fight, by no means would be easy, but Robin had the tools and information he needed to see everyone through, so long as they had the will to fight and survive, and such was plenty with every solider here. Just as before, Chrom, Lissa, Miriel, and Robin himself would take up the front lines. Frederick, Stahl, and Sully stayed behind to assist the Kahns in securing an escape route for the army, afterall, horseback riders would not offer much help in such a battlefield. Sumia, Cordelia, Vaike and Panne would take the back, just in case King Gangrel's general were to call for back up, and prevent them from being flanked from the rear. In between, Lon'qu, and the new recruits Gregor and Nowi would take the center, helping out wherever possible. Maribelle even volunteered as an emergency cleric, should anyone be injured. An offer that Robin took with pride, as anything was possible in such a fight, and she had been training with Ricken for these past few weeks in the art of tome use, so she was more than capable of keeping herself safe in the line of battle.

"Everyone knows their positions, right?" Chrom asked his army. Everyone answered with a collective "Yessir!" and took up their arms in preperation. "Now, we wait..." Robin said as he looked on at the initiation of Emmeryn's execution. Plegian barbarians and citizens came from near and far and practically crowded the courtyard to bear witness to what would be their ultimate triumph against Ylisse and making them pay for the pain and suffering wrought upon them at the hands of their previous exalt 15 years ago.

Robin had a lump in his throat when he saw Emmeryn standing atop the horn of Grima's skull, with a solider brandishing a sharpened ax. He finally spotted Kahn Flavia taking up her position a few meters to the right of the Shepherds' current position with Basilio. Robin signaled Frederick, Stahl and Sully to make their way covertly to their side for the route security, and to keep the Kahns safe when the plan was put into action.

Gangrel soon wnet onto his spiel of how Ylisse would pay in blood for their past wrongdoings, and once he finished his speech, he signaled for the axman behind Emmeryn to make the fatal blow. The second the executioner started moving to Emmeryn, who had bowed her head, having lost all hope, Robin turned to Flavia. "NOW!" he yelled loudly to make certain his voice would reach her. Sure enough it did, and without a single hint of hesitation, Flavia hurled her Hand Axe with frightening accuracy. The axe sailed across the distance, over the courtyard and struck the executioner in the back, tossing him off balance and falling in the front of the crowd below.

"Shepherds: Move out!" Chrom demanded, unsheathing Falchion and heading towards the castle courtyard. All at once, the sudden attack and an army approaching quickly, the citizens evacuated quickly, some trampling one another, clearing the courtyard, leaving only Plegia's troops. The venue was set and the pieces were in play. It was time to bring Emmeryn home. Gangrel was flabbergasted as the surprise attack. He did expect the Shepherds to arrive, but not in such a sly motion that would actually catch him off guard like this. He pictured his now dead executioner holding his axe to Emmeryn's neck as Chrom watched on, the complete opposite of what was going on now. All he could due was mentally curse their tacticians' name and verbally ordered his troops to kill anything that moved. In a panicked state, he fled with Aversa to the inner sanctum of his castle and decided to watch the bloodshed from his throne.

* * *

Within an instant, the battlefield had erupted with the sound of steel clashing. Swords and axes were being flung and swung from left to right. It was complete chaos. The brutality of this fight was something that no man, woman, or child should have seen. Especially for Emmeryn. There she stood, atop the horn of Grima, watching her friends and family spill the blood of warriors who had families and friends to return home to. Most likely, they didn't even want to be apart of this pointless war. She asked herself what this fighting was even for? To settle a vandetta? A petty revenge plot was worth all of this? Emmeryn simply bowed her head and closed her eyes. She wasn't on the battlefield, but she could certainly feel the sting of blades piercing skin, in the form of extreme guilt piercing her heart.

Down below, the Shepherds were making ample progress to the front of the castle. Along the way, Chrom managed to befriend a War Monk by the name of Libra. For a man of peace, he fought with the ferocity of a demon, cutting down all who would harm his now-fellow Shepherds. Their ranks were only helped when Chrom also managed to convince a dark mage named Tharja who just seemed to stick to one place and never actively participated in the fighting. She seemed to be one of the rare people who saw no point in this petty war, and didn't feel it was worth it to give her life to a king who wouldn't give a damn on whether she lived or died out here.

The tables were turning in the Shepherds favor, and it looked like they might actually carry the battle to victory. The commander of the Plegian army was frustrated beyond words. "Where's the damned wyvern brigade!?" he shouted, ready to cut down one of his own men to release his stress. Robin's eyes widened a little as he heard the commander shout. They were expecting back up from close to where they entered the fray. After cutting down a bowman, he hid behind one of the walls of the broken barracks. He clutched the front of his chest in pain from just barely managing to dodge an axe strike and shouted to Cordelia who was close by.

"Cordelia! The enemy will be sending backup from the rear! Mobilize your team there!" he yelled. Cordelia flew above him, dodging the arrows that were flying at her. She signaled Vaike, Panne, and Sumia to follow her back to where they entered to keep the wyvern brigade from attacking the others. Lissa rushed over to Robin's position, keeping some other barbarians off her back with a Thunder tome. She pulled her Mend staff she received from Maribelle earlier that day and waved the blue jewel top of the staff over Robin and his wounds closed up almost instantly.

"Thanks Lissa. Keep behind the barrack walls and cover me while I assist Chrom and storm the front of the castle!" he ordered.

"Right!" she said, pulling out her tome and letting the pages whoosh by in preparation.

At the rear, Cordelia's team was making short work of the Wyvern Riders that had shown up in groups. Panne was especially on top of them, dashing through the sands and keeping everyone safe from ambush attacks or flying Hand Axes. The center of the battlefield was all but cleared out, with Lon'qu, Libra, and Gregor making sure to stay alert for any more threats while Nowi provided air support from the front lines. In the front, Miriel and Tharja were combining their strengths to keep Chrom and Robin safe from harm. Granted a stray arrow made contact with them, but it was nothing Maribelle couldn't fix up. From the front, Chrom and Robin were side by side, striking down most of the Plegian troops by themselves, and with the assistance of Nowi's dragon breath, they were bractically unstoppable.

Gangrel was completely out of it. He paced back and forth in his thrown room, wondering how the Shepherds could move in such a perfect sync. Either that tactician was an expert in his field, or he could see the future. Either way, he saw him, fighting just as well along side Chrom.

"That scum. I can't believe it. I thought I had it all. Every piece was in my favor but that... that one man managed to tear it down in one fell swoop!" he said, gritting his teeth, in danger of chipping them. Everything he had worked for was falling apart and it was just because of one man? Obviously the Gods just did't favor Gangrel's intentions of giving "justice" to his people. Just as he was about to give up, his advisor, Aversa waltz into the room, in her haughty manner as always.

"Oh, poor Gangrel. If I had known you would be taken down so easily I would have jumped ship a long time ago. But fear not, I've got an ace of my own up my sleeve." she said, winking her left eye suspiciously.

* * *

Back outside, Chrom and Robin faced down the captain of the army, their steel turned to him. He was covered in thick armor plating, so direct attacks would be no good.

"Chrom. I have an idea... You'll have to rush him." he whispered. Chrom looked at him with concern. Not only was the armor not going to give way to Falchion, but he was a distant disadvantage because their enemy had a spear. "Trust me Chrom..." he said, subtly pulling his cloak open to show him the binding of an Elwind tome that Ricken lent him. Chrom understood the plan then.

"Alright..." Chrom held Falchion extended in a challenge to the captain who only laughed at his apparent choice of weapon. Regardless, Chrom rushed at him, clanging Falchion against his large shield and keeping out of the way of his spear. Robin silently slinked passed the two and walked around the two untill the captain had his back to him. While he was dealing with Chrom, who was growing tired from the pressure of Falchion bouncing off the armor and having to dodge and epeat was starting to slow him down. Robin hesitated no longer and pulled the Elwind tome from his cloak and opened it, letting the pages whoosh by. Robin focused on his target and was surrounded by orange runes as he outstretched his arm and mumbled the incantation, causing a sizable tornado to brew from up under the captain.

"What the hell!?" he explained, as the spell was cast. Robin continued chanting to sustain the tornado, untill the force of the wind tore off the different pieces of the captain's armor. When a clear spot for his chest was exposed, Chrom rushed at him again, and Robin retracted his arm and closed the tome, allowing Chrom unhindered access to strike the captain.

It was a clean cut. In one fell swoop, Chrom pierced the captain's heart and the force of Falchion sent him flying backwards, bleeding out onto the desert floor. At last, it was over. The captain of the army and his men were decimated. All that was left was to strike down Gangrel and bring Emmeryn home. Emmeryn's private guard of Pegasus Knights led by Captain Phila had arrived on the scene to assist Emmeryn off her perch. This mission was a success! ...Or so they hoped...

Gangrel stepped out from under the shadow of the jaw of Grima's skull with Aversa in tow, clapping sarcastically.

"Well, congratulations. It seems You've decimated my army." he said, stiffling a grin. Chrom pointed Falchion's steel at the Mad King, still bathed in the blood of his captain. "Joke all you want, you dastard, it will only make your death all the more pathetic." he said, his blue eyes locked on his neck.

"Oh my! It appears the dog has me cornered! Whatever shall I do!" he said, placing his hand on his chest in a smug facade of distress. "Oh, Aversa, dear, why don't you show him that ace up your sleeve now?" he said in a somewhat excitedly insane tone while no longer hiding his wolfish grin.

Not saying a word, Aversa snapped her fingers, and at once, a team of Risen fell from what appeared to be the sky, all of them bearing bows, and all pointed at Emmeryn and her Pegasus Knights.

Everyone who happened to see the scene were in a state of utter shock. This was something they had not accounted for. Robin especially was surprised. His adviser could summon Risen to work for him at will? This didn't bode well at all. He didn't plan for something like this, and what's more, they were all within range to end Emmeryn's life! Robin's eyes darted to and fro, trying to come up with a solution. There's no way he could blow them all away with an Elwind tome... and if he could only take out a few, it would only take one arrow to kill Emmeryn. There was no one nearby enough to lend a hand either. Nowi had already retreated to the back lines having left the rest in his and Chrom's hands and Chrom could hardly take out this many Risen in one swoop.

Just before Robin could make any decisions, he heard the pained cry of Captain Phila. While he was thinking of what to do, she was struck down by one of the Risen archers. The site of her falling from her steed and hitting the harsh floor was absolutely devastating. Robin stared in pure disbelief. Never had ne seen a comrade fall in battle... this was the first, and the emotions that ran through him were enough to make him nearly run to her aid. His heart, however kept him in place. If he got any closer, then Emmeryn would be next.

He soon regretted that choice. Without even warning anyone, the Risen archers shot down Phila's sisters in arms and quickly notched their arrows and pointed them at Emmeryn herself. Robin was weak in the knees from the whole thing. In a flash 3 capable Pegasus Knights and allies were killed right in front of him.

"Well now, that's it?" Gangrel said, smiling even wider at Robin's distress. Chrom was equally as shocked, but refused to move as he knew Emmeryn was the next step. Gangrel just stood where he was, enjoying the show and drinking in his victory. All he could do was laugh insanely at how clever he thought he was.

"Kya ha ha ha ha~! And so here we are! You know, it doesn't have to end this way, prince. You can spare your sister's life, and all you have to do is hand over the Fire Emblem." he said, extending his arms wind, in a stance of supreme victory, and rightly so; he had Chrom in a tight spot, and no matter which way he looked, he was going to win. Chrom lowered Falchion and looked at the Fire Emblem which rested on his arm.

"Which is it... the Emblem... or my sister...?" he thought aloud.

Robin yelled out to him "Chrom! Don't do it! You can't give him the Emblem!" Chrom gritted his teeth at such a hard choice, in his head he knew he couldn't, but in his heart... he would lose his sister.

"I... I know... But... I'm sorry." he said, bowing his head in defeat. Robin's jaw dropped in utter disbelief. Not at Chrom giving up the Emblem but Chrom... losing. He never saw Chrom so vulnerable in the time they met. He was always the portrait of confidence and strength, but now, here he was. Defeated.

Chrom stepped forward with the Emblem in hand until he was stopped by Emmeryn.

"Chrom, stop!" she commanded, from her perch. "You must not hand over the Fire Emblem! Such a treasure will be crucial should one day our people have dire need of it!"

Chrom couldn't take it. His sister was basically asking him to sign her death certificate. "I know, Emm! I know that _someday _the Emblem could be used to save our people... but right _now,_ they need their Exalt... and me and Lissa need our sister!"

Hearing these words brought a tear to Emmeryn's eyes. Chrom was right. But if he didn't give the Emblem over, her life would be forfeit, and she would gladly give her life for her people and her family if need be. Nevertheless, she decided to give the people of Plegia one more chance. She stepped up the the very tip of her perch and called out to the citizens who had been watching the battle since they evacuated.

"Hear me, people of Plegia! Is this truly what you wish for? To live and die for a King who cares naught of you nor yours? I ask you, how many of your loved ones have joined the army and died at his demand, just to sate his thirst for revenge? If you truly seek peace, revenge will not grant it! It will only leed to more sorrow!"

Emmeryn looked upon all the Plegian citizens who remained silent. Some only mumbled to others, and some merely walked away. Emmeryn stood there. Waiting. Waiting for a cry of support. Surely someone in Plegia believed that spilling blood could not have been the true path to happiness. Yet, she heard nothing at all.

_'No reaction... Was I wrong then?'_ Emmeryn though in her mind. But she refused to believe it. She refused to believe these people wished to live and die in the name of vengeance. She bowed her head with a faint smile. _'Chrom. This is some torch I'm passing you.'_ Emmeryn decided that either choice Chrom made would leave her dead. Giving away the Fire Emblem would leave he dead inside, knowing she may have doomed her people and failed as an Exalt and siser. Or she would be dead, period, and her message would be lost. So instead, she decided to choose for Chrom instead.

Stepping to the very edge of her high perch, she closed her eyes and leaned forward ever so gently_. 'My people. Know that I loved you. And people of Plegia, know that I forgive you.'_

Suddenly, Emmeryn had fallen from her perch and for a second, time seemed to slow down. Chrom ran to catch her, slicing passed the Risen archers and shoving Gangrel out of the way, futilely reaching his arm out to catch her. Lissa crouched in pure horror and covered her eyes, and Robin fell to his knees, dropping his time and holding his chest, his heart skipping a beat, as he saw Emmeryn fall to the hard sandstone ground.

For the first time since he joined the Shepherds, he had failed.

* * *

**Phew! That's the end of chapter 2! Told ya this would be long, and yes, the descriptive fighting and Emm's death was necessary. You'll see in the following chapters as the story continues.**

**EDIT: I'd like to say, real quick-like that seems to be having issues when it comes to uploading new chapters, so until the site clears that up, things might be slow. Sorry about that. **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Yeah, these Author Notes are gonna be commonplace for this story, I guess. Anyways, the second chapter was a lot to take in, I understand, and it will quite possibly be the longest. But it was necessary for character and world-building so now that the stage is set, I can finally work on the relationship.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Within the last two days, things seemed to switch as if from day to night in so many ways. One day the Shepherds were ready to hold a battle for their lives, and now, morale was at an all-time low. From fighting on the hot sands of the Plegian desert, to moping about and recovering in the blustery cold of the Feroxi snowfields. Many things had happened in the previous days, and it wasn't solely because of Emmeryn's death. Shortly after such a crushing defeat, the Shepherds brutally tore down yet another portion of King Gangrel's army. The worst part of it? It was a battle that no one won.

True, the Shepherds made it out alive and fell back to recover and rework their plan, but the path was paved with the blood of soldiers who had genuinely not wanted to fight in this war any longer. Partway through the battle, the general of the squad was unwilling to fight, claiming that Emmeryn's message had not ben lost on him or his men. Despite this, a battle had to be waged, or they would be charged with treason against their king. Despite Robin doing his best to inform the army to minimalize enemy casualties, it would all be for naught. For choosing to desert the war effort, the brave men and women who stood up to Gangrel's iron fist were sentenced to death, along with their families. Yes, the Shepherds won the battle, but the outcome felt far from victorious.

Just outside of East Ferox's castle, and Kahn Flavia's throne and base of operations, camp was already set up for the Shepherds. They weren't plannin on going anywhere very soon. At least, not at first. The moment they arrived, Chrom demanded going back to Plegia and putting Gangrel's head on a pike. Going back after the defeat they received would do no good for anyone, and Chrom's rage would more than likely put him in danger of falling for enemy traps or formation in a frontal assault. Even though Robin, Sumia, the Kahns and his fellow Shepherds assured Chrom that he was not to blame what happened to Emmeryn and he still had their full support on what he chose to do, Robin advised against heading to take on Gangrel right now.

In the briefing tent, Robin, Frederick and Chrom stood in front of a map of the Ylissean continent pinned to the back wall. Chrom was still adamant about heading to Plegia now and finishing off Gangrel before he could make a move on the Ylissean capitol. Robin, however shook his head in disapproval.

"Chrom, listen to me. I understand how you must feel. Emmeryn and her royal guard's death, us having to flee and letting Gangrel believe he achieved victory. I get it. And believe me, I'm just as angry and wish to avenge Emmeryn too. But we have to face facts; Right now, the Shepherds are... we're just not in the best shape to go taking on another army." he said. taking down the map off the wall and folding it. He was done on the subject of going anywhere for the time. "Listen, we have no time to rush now... I know it's hard to hear this but Emmeryn is gone now, and she won't be coming back if Gangrel dies tomorrow, or next month. He already believes that we've been beaten, and maybe we should just let him believe that."

Chrom's eyes widened in surprise at hearing this. Never had he once heard Robin accept defeat. "You cannot be serious, Robin!" he protested. Frederick finally spoke up on the matter. "If I may, milord, I believe Robin has a point in all this." Chrom was even more surprised now. "You as well, Frederick?"

Frederick nodded in response. "Yes. We all know how Gangrel can give himself too much credit and can come off as overconfident. I believe Robin is attempting to use such a flaw to our advantage."

Suddenly, it donned on him; This had to be another one of Robin's tactical moves. It was true that Gangrel underestimated his enemies and felt that victory was always assured, but if he believed that he had beated the Shepherds and stamped out all resistance, he would not attempt looking for them or feeel the need to bolster his defenses for future attacks. Chrom's eyes grew less hostile and had an expression of _'Ah-ha!'_ about them. It seems that Robin was still putting his brilliant mind to work, even in defeat. "I see." he said, placing his hand on his chin. "So, you say we should have our troops rest and rally here in Ferox, while Gangrel drinks in the wine of victory, and when we're all recovered, we can strike back at him through his weakened defenses!" he said.

Robin smiled a little, knowing that Frederick knew of his plan and covertly conveyed it to Chrom. "Exactly. And I also believe that his army may be falling apart. Remember back in Plegia when we fought against General Mustafa? He said that his men were not willing to fight in such a war anymore. Suppose that message reached to other leagues in the Plegian army..." he trailed off.

"Then it means there will be a large amount of desertion in his ranks, cutting down the enemy numbers..." Chrom said, picking up Robin's plan. "All the while, we recuperate here and strike at his weakened guard! It's brilliant... Devious, but brilliant." Robin did not pride himself on using underhanded tricks to beat his opponents, but if Gangrel was willing to play dirty, then he was more than happy to level the playing field. Upon Chrom's understanding, he couldn't hep but feel a sense of pride for his tactical work at times.

"Heh, thank you. I'm not one to brag, but I think I've made quite the plan, if I do say so." he said. Chrom chuckled from that comment, remembering how he himself had praised his genius before, and he was right to do so.

With all that cleared up, the meeting was as good as adjourned and the three exited the tent. The sun was setting over the icy hills and was further obscured by the light dusting of snow. All around camp, the Shepherds were doing their best to keep their spirits high. Some talked with each other on how they'll make sure they won't lose again, some even making fire pits to keep warm and just being there for one another. It warmed The three men's hearts seeing their fellow brothers and sisters in arms supporting each other through such a harsh time.

"Frederick, Chrom, even though we're done for the day, do you think you two can inform the other Shepherds about my plan? If anything, maybe it will help them keep their heads high about future events." he said. Chrom gave him a supportive, brotherly pat on the shoulder "Of we have a plan, and a good one at that, will be a boost in morale for everyone." he said. He walked off with Frederick to convey the plan to the others and Robin walked in the opposite direction to meet with his friends and do the same.

* * *

Around camp, many of the Shepherds gathered around fire pits constructed with Nowi's help. She grew bored of sitting around and waiting for their next move, so she busied herself by making camp fires for everyone to keep warm. To the uninformed, seeing a girl of Nowi's stature making the effort to find the firewood and places to sit made of carved tree trunks seemed impossible. The use of her dragonstone made this less than child's play however. Using her dragon tail, she could easily knock down plenty of the snow covered trees and fashion enough firewood and logs for the Shepherds to gather around and chat with. The fires themselves were also courtesy of Nowi, using her dragon breath albeit toned down to prevent misfires and cause damage to the campsite or the wildlife. They gave off a beautiful aqua-blue glow rather than the traditional orange.

One circle of people which consisted of Gaius, who was twisting a lollipop in his mouth, Nowi, who was shivering from the cold, the newst recruited dark mage Tharja who kept to herself and didn't bother talking to anyone, instead burying her nose in a Nosferatu tome, and Maribelle, who was boiling a small pot of water with exotic Feroxi tea-leaves and elderberries just over the fire, while holding a set of four tea cups for everyone. Classic Maribelle, if she wasn't giving Robin lessons on appearing aristocratic, or studying to be a magistrate, she could always be seen drinking tea on her off time either by herself, or with Virion.

Robin was approaching the group, partly to speak a little bit more with Tharja, as she seemed very shy when he first spoke with her, as she would blush madly and run off. Besides that, he could barely ever find her, though he could sometimes feel when she was around. Since he had her in clear view, he figured it was a good opportunity to know some more about her, and maybe even talk with Nowi some more on Grima. His feet crunched through the layer of snow and he waved a hand in greetings to his companions.

"Hi everyone. You four don't mind if I join you all, do you?" Everyone turned their heads to see Robin. Maribelle scooted over on the log she was sitting on and patted the free spot for him to join. "Of course not, Robin. Have a seat, we were just about to have some tea." she said. Gaius took his lollipop out of his mouth breifly. "Hey, Twinkles, this tea, it's pretty sweet, right?" he asked, pointing at the pot with the end of the sucker.

The pot began to hiss with the tea coming to it's perfect temperature. Maribelle stood up and handed out the teacups to everyone. Well, almost. Nowi and Gaius gladly took theirs, but Tharja just wasn't interested in having a drink with them. She looked at Maribellle with her eyes, almost as cold as the weather. "No, thanks. Perhaps Robin would like some tea though...?" she suggested, turning her eyes to him with a small smile. "Well, if you insist." Maribelle said, handing the cup to Robin before he could protest. He sat down, simply accepting the offer, with him facing just across from Gaius with Nowi and Tharja to his left and right, respectively. Maribelle went around, filling everyone's cups with the contents of the tea pot. The heavenly smell of the tea itself and the warm steam wafting up from the cups were invigorating. Maribelle sat down next to Robin with her own cup and looked to Gaius, "Well, to answer your question, I can't very well say. This is the first time I've tasted a tea using Feroxi tea leaves. But the elderberry juices should certainly sate your sweet-tooth, Gaius." she said, taking a sip from her cup after.

Gaius just shrugged it off and stirred his helping around with his lollipop, which earned him some odd stares from the other four. He just stared back at them, "What...?" he asked, putting the lollipop right back in his mouth and sipping the tea. Nowi took a gulp from her cup and sighed in fulfillment, which caused her breath to become visible. "I don't care much for the taste, but it sure is nice and warm!" she said, taking another sip. Robin prepared to take a sip of his own, untill he noticed an odd stare from Maribelle. He was going to ask what she wanted, but he quickly caught his "error". Without saying anything, he extended his pinkie finger from the small handle of the cup and looked at her, as if to mentally ask '_Like this, right?'._ Maribelle gave him a knowing nod, confirming his question.

* * *

The next hour was spent with the small circle of Shepherds conversing with each other. Current events, what everyone's feelings are on the war effort so far, and most important, what to do in the future. Robin put their last question to rest when he conveyed his plan to everyone. They were all excited when they heard the plan, as if they knew they were going to win. It was a very fruitful talk. Robin even got a few words out of Tharja, which seemed next to impossible with everyone else in camp. She was usually reserved and by herself but other times, should would just disappear. Robin had heard rumors that she would follow him around when he wasn't looking, but he took such remarks with a grain of salt. He didn't think himself so interesting that anyone, women included, would want to follow him around at all times of the day.

"So, then, Lissa takes me to the Shepherds garrison and that's pretty much where my story begins. I know, it's not the most interesting tale ever." he said bashfully, looking into his empty teacup.

"Oh, on the contrary, darling." Maribelle spoke up. "It's like I once told you before; an amnesiac who happens to have no memory of his life prior, yet can fight on a battlefield with trained soldiers and has an ingenious mind for tactics. You're quite the enigma, if I may say so."

"Yeah!" Nowi said. "And, you're super-nice to everyone. A lot of people wouldn't be so close to others that they just met. I mean, when humans see me, most of the time, they give me and odd look. Sometimes it's the long ears, or the fangs, or the whole I-can-turn-into-a-big-scary-dragon thing. But the second you and I met, you were always so nice!" Both Nowi and Robin were blushing from her compliments, though for her, it was more the cold than anything else. The others did agree though, Robin had practically become best friends with everyone in the army, even gaining Maribelle's approval, who even Lissa herself stated takes a while.

"Y'know, she's right." Gaius said. You even kept our little secret under wraps, and didn't bother asking for anything in return... Which reminds me, I just got this set of bonbons in, and, if you ever want 'em..." he said, reaching into his coat and pulling out a decorative box. "Uhh, no thanks Gaius. I don't feel like having sweets right now." Robin declined. Gaius opened the box and started eating the bonbons himself anyways."Suit yourself."

Even Tharja managed to spare a few words. "You're alright... I guess." she said, holding her tome close to her chest and looking to the side, though at nothing in particular. "It's just... well, not many people took too kindly to a deserter of the Plegian front lines joining in the Shepherds... but you didn't hold any judgement." she said, blushing and obscuring her eyes with her silken black hair.

Robin couldn't help but smile at all the compliments. He never acted nice to everyone out of obligation, he simply admired everyone in the army and genuinly wanted to know them better. "Thanks guys. It's the friendship that I share with the Shepherds that makes me not really care about losing my memories. Making new ones with you all seems more worth it." he said. Everyone extended their appreciation with a unanimous "You're welcome".

The blue flame in the center of the campfire started to die out. Robin stood up and looked to the trees in the nearby forest. "I'll go and get some firewood for us." he said before stepping towards the forest. Nowi stood up and followed after him. "I'll go too!" she called out. Robin looked back at her. "It's okay Nowi, I'll be back in a few minutes."

"That's not it. It's just so darn cold out here. I figure keeping my blood pumping is a good way to stay warm." Nowi stated, holding her arms and rubbing them to keep warm. "Hmm. Okay. You can help me carry some firewood back to camp then. Oh, and if you're cold..." Robin lifted his black cloak off his shoulders and handed it to Nowi. "Here. You can borrow this while we're out here." Nowi grabbed the cloak and looked back to him. "Are you sure? You don't mind getting cold without it?" she asked. "No. I'll be just fine. Besides, you seem to be wearing less clothes than me, even _with_ that on."

Nowi was surprised at the gesture. She had never seen Robin take his cloak off, let alone let anyone else wear it. So why did he give it to her to borrow? Was she a special case of some sort? Was he just being kind to her and would have given it to any other Shepherd who asked? Whatever it was, she was very glad he offered. She swung the cloak over her shoulders and was instantly feeling the heat. The fabric was woven with care and felt warm to the touch, even warmer still with his body heat that radiated cozily off the insides. She pulled the hood over her head as well. "Ooh~. It keeps my ears warm too!" she said, rubbing the sides of her head.

Robin couldn't help but laugh at Nowi's reaction. "Hey, what's so funny?" she asked. "Nothing. It's just the way you smile when wearing it." Nowi was puzzled. She smiled just like always. "Was something wrong with my smile?" she asked. "No no. It's just... I just happen to like it when you smile. That's all..." he said, blushing again. Nowi looked at him and wondered what he meant by that. They stood there, staring at each other for a few second. Robin began feeling embarrassed now. "S-So, that firewood! We'd better get going!" he walked ahead of Nowi into the forest, picking stray branches off the ground. Nowi stood behind him for a second, thinking about his comment.

_"He likes it... when I smile...?"_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Wow. Only three chapters and I've gotten over 1,000 views. That's pretty good for a novice FanFic writer like myself! Thanks to all of the people who read this, for those who favorite and follow it, and for those who review it. Your support is what motivates me to keep writing. :)**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Robin and Nowi had spent the past few minutes scrounging for firewood. So far, they managed to find a good amount of branches that lay on the surface of the snow.

Nowi followed behind Robin, with a bundle of sticks and twigs in her arms. "Hey, Robin, how come you didn't bother getting the ones that were buried in the snow? It seems like a waste, dont'cha think?" she asked, kneeling down and picking up another stick.

"That's because they wouldn't burn very well. The snow makes the wood too moist to burn through the wood very well. It probably wouldn't do any good to have a bundle of wet sticks mixed in with the dry one and have a low flame." Robin then stopped by a low hanging tree and snapped one of the branches off. He looked around the tree for anymore low hanging branches to take back.

While he was searching around the thick trunk, Nowi spotted a sizable snake coiled around one of the nearby branches, quite close to Robin. Nowi gasped in surprise and dropped the bundle of sticks in her arms and reached into one of the pouches she had concealed by one of the bows on her waist. She pulled out a stone and tossed it towards the direction of the snake to keep it from biting Robin... Unfortunately, her aim was quite off and she ended up striking Robin square in the back of the head.

"Yeowch!" He cried out and dropped his bundle of sticks as well. He rubbed the spot he was hit in, holding back a tear from the hit. The spot on his head was already starting to swell up. Whatever it was that hit him sure packed a wallop.

Nowi covered her mouth, shocked at hitting her friend and not the snake, which coiled away. "Argh! Sorry Robin! Are you alright?" she asked, stepping over to him to see not only if he was injured, but if the snake was still around.

Robin picked up a small pile of snow and held it to his head and sighed in relief. "You mean aside from this lump on my head?" he knelt down and picked up the half buried stone Nowi threw out of the snow. "What is this you threw at me?" he asked. He turned the stone around to inspect it. It looked like a dull blue and heavily broken rock, about a third of the size of an apple.

Now perked up, glad that Robin wasn't mad at her for hitting him. That shiny rock happens to be my most precious possession. It took AGES to find." she said. She cupped her hands in front of him, silently asking for her stone back. Robin took another look at the rock. It certainly was pretty, most anyone would want to keep a rock so shiny.

He placed it in Nowi's hands."If it's so precious to you, then why are you tossing it around?" he asked. Especially tossing it at _him._ Nowi pointed to the trunk of the tree, which at the moment was vacant of the snake she had tried to strike. "I was trying to hit that big snake! Did you see it? It slithered away real fast." he said, pursing her lips. It would be hard to believe her anyways since the snake didn't even leave so much as a trail when it slipped back up the tree. Robin smiled in relief. _'Good. She wasn't trying to hit me then.'_ "So, you're hunting game? ...With a rock?" he almost laughed at the prospect of Nowi using something like a rock to hit a snake when her dragonbreath would have taken care of it. Although his smile faded when he remembered that she hit HIM, and he might not even be standing if she had.

Nowi stared up into the tree to see if the snake was still there. "Exactly! I almost got him too..." She wandered around the tree a while, looking for said snake. "Oh look! There it is again! See?" she squealed, pointing up at a high branch that it coiled itself around. Robin looked up and lo and behold! The snake was real. It seemed odd that a snake would be in such cold climates, but he didn't question it. He extended his arm to Nowi for her shiny rock. "Here, let me try." he said. Nowi handed the stone back to him and stood behind him as she kept her eyes on the snake. "You think you can hit it?"

Robin slowly circled around the tree, making sure he had the snake's attention. "Casting magic, or hurling stones, it's all about focus and control." The snake shimmied off the branch and down the trunk of the tree and slowly extended it's body to Robin from one of the lower hanging branches. "And, you have lead your target. Like... THIS!" Robin took a quick step back and hurled the stone, hitting the snake dead center, causing it to fall right off the branch and into the snow below. Afterwards he picked up the stone and handed it right back to Nowi.

Her eyes widened in fascination at how perfectly Robin tossed the stone, as opposed to her lopsided attempt previously. "Oh WOWZERS! Nailed it right in the head! That was great!" she yelled. Robin crossed his arms in triumph. "Well, I have my moments." he said, looking down upon the unconcious reptile. Nowi was quite excited at how easily Robin managed to do it without a second shot at all, and how he maneuvered around the tree and lead the snake to him. It reminded her of how Robin would fight on the battlefield: Always moving and making the enemy bend to his will rather than rushing in and attacking. It was no wonder he was the tactician of the army. Nowi handed held the stone in front of Robin eagerly. "How did you do it!? You've got to show me!" she demanded, smiling her trademark Nowi-smile again.

Robin looked at her sweet and innocent smile and whenever she made that cute face, he just couldn't refuse. He gladly took the stone back and palmed it in the same fashion and showed it to her. "Alright. First of all, you want to hold the stone like this..." Nowi looked at the way he held the stone and took a mental note; she was definitely going to try this out later. "Okay..." she said, eagerly waiting for further instruction.

Robin stepped back a ways from the tree they stood near. "Then, it's all about keeping your eyes on the target. Imagine that small notch in the tree is what you're aiming for." Nowi looked at the notch Robin mentioned and nodded for him to go on. "Then, just wind your arm back and loosen your grip on the stone..." Robin moved slowly so Nowi could see what he was setting an example for. "And finally, let your arm arc over your head, and just let the stone leave your hand. Don't try to force it, let it glid towards it's target." At first, Robin did a slow demonstration on the form. He did it once, just for show, and the second time around, he tossed the stone for real, and it struck the notch on the tree perfectly. "That's all there is too it. Nothing very complicated." he said.

Nowi dug the stone out of the snow and walked over to where Robin was to imitate his instructions. She pictured the notch on the tree, wound her arm back and tossed the stone. The stone, unfortunately missed it's target and ricocheted off the tree to the side a foot or two. Nowi puffed her cheeks out in frustration. "Aww. I didn't hit it... What'd I do wrong?" she asked. Robin went over and grabbed the stone and showed her the proper way to hold it again. "Well, your form and concentration were alright, but you were holding the stone wrong. You have to let it rest in your hand, don't squeeze it with your fingers." He handed the stone back to her and motioned for her to try again.

* * *

Almost half an hour passed since Robin and Nowi had gone off searching for firewood. Maribelle, Gaius and Tharja were sitting around the practically dead campfire, waiting patiently. Their patience, along with their body head, was running low though. Gaius finished snacking on the box of bonbons he offered Robin and saw no sign of the man, or Manakete returning. "I wonder what's takin' Bubbles so long. It can't possibly take that long to pick up twigs off the ground, can it?" he asked, unwrapping another lollipop and stuffing it in his mouth. "You know what I think? I think that firewood bit was just a front so he could have some _'alone time'_ with that dragon-girl." he said, smiling slyly.

Tharja didn't say a word, but only pressed her Nosferatu tome closer to her and sinking her head over the binding, concealing a blush with her black hair. Maribelle, on the other hand, was appalled. "Gaius! What would possess you to say such a thing about Robin!?" she yelled, almost shooting up from her seat. Instead she gripped her parasol tightly in her hands. "Why, I've been teaching Robin to act like the perfect gentleman, and no gentleman in the right mind would saunter off with another woman while his friends freeze in this ungodly cold!" she said. Giaus smiled a little wider, knowing he may have touched a nerve. "Aw, c'mon Twinkles. We both know that girl is as cute as a cupcake, and even if she doesn't look like it, she is a grown woman. Why I bet, even now those two are sharing their body heat by-" "Enough!" Maribelle yelled and tossed her parasol at Gaius, which struck him right in the head and made him fall over, dropping his lollipop and other sorts of confectionery falling out of his clothes and pockets.

Maribelle then walked over to Gaius, picked up her parasol and pressed the pointed end of it into his chest. "H-Hey! That kinda hurts!" Gaius protested. Maribelle only pressed the pointed end harder into his chest. "Now listen to me, you brute! I guarantee Robin would never engage in such vulgar behavior ! Even for a lowborn, such activity is beneath him! And in the woods of all places! Just what kind of a pervert do you take him for!?" she berated, her voice starting to escalate into a scream. "AND! I'll have you know that Robin and I share an intimate friendship! If a woman were to come into his life so suddenly, I would be the first to know, and he has not said a word!"

Tharja was growing more and more disturbed as the conversation drew on. _"What does Robin see in these women...? Clearly they're not suited for him... That honor belongs to me..."_ she thought. The thought of Robin falling for anyone but her always made her dark expression seem even darker, almost hostile.

Gaius struggled to lift the painful parasol off of his chest. For a dainty noblewoman, she had some scary strength behind her. It's no wonder Robin refuses her lessons. He looked to the side to gather some of the treats that fell out of his pockets and noticed Robin and Nowi finally return with the fire wood. Something seemed odd though... Why was Nowi wearing Robin's cloak? Gaius thought for a second and smiled wickedly, he was totally right! _'Robin, you dog!'_ he thought. Maribelle lifted the parasol from Gaius' chest, only to strike his head again. "What are you smiling about!? And you look at me when I'm speaking to..." She cut herself off, as she looked in his direction. Tharja also lifted her head to see what made her stop laying into Gaius. Both women were speechless when they saw the pair returning with firewood. Their speechlessness came from them witnessing Nowi wearing Robins cloak. None of the three had ever, EVER seen Robin without his cloak before. And yet, there he was, standing in his beige shirt with the tan collar, while Nowi was... wearing his cloak!

"Sorry we took so long guys. I was just teaching Nowi something and we sort of lost track of time." he said, laying the bundle of sticks around the fire pit. Nowi laid her bundle down as well. A small awkward silence was shared among the group. Gaius was stiffling laugher, almost failing, while Tharja concieled her face again behind her hair and Maribelle simply said nothing. She just kept her mouth shut and took her seat back on the log.

Nowi brought out her Dragonstone and held it close to her chest as it glowed a brilliant lime-green. "Don't worry guys, I don't need to turn into a dragon for this. Just gotta have the stone close." Nowi knelt down in front of the pit and blew a steady stream of aqua-colored fire from her mouth, igniting the sticks and raising a new fire, just as brilliant and hot as the last. Robin sat down next to Maribelle and held his hands close to the fire. After spending so much time without his cloak in the blistering cold, this was a godsend. Gaius retrieved all of his snacks and sat back down, dusting off the powered snow from his lollipop and placing it right back in his mouth.

For a while everyone was silent and just enjoyed the fire. Maribelle was twiddling her thumbs for the past minute, still wondering why Nowi was wearing his cloak. She turned to Nowi and smiled sweetly when addressing her. "Nowi, dear, Robin said something about teaching you something in the woods? What was that exactly?" she asked. Surely what she was thinking was a misunderstanding. Nowi looked at Maribelle with a smile of her own. "Oh, he was teaching me how to hit snakes!" she answered innocently ...What? "Uhm... Beg pardon dear?" she said, swallowing her throat from the phrasing. During her 'slang lessons' with Robin a thing or two that involved snakes in a lewd manner popped up and she hoped against hope it wasn't what she was thinking.

Nowi looked upward remembering the experience. "Yeah, but we ended up doing it against a tree instead." The second those words left her lips, everyone's eyes opened wide enough for them to pop free from their skulls. They looked at Nowi, then back at Robin, who only responded with a look of confusion. "He said something about my hands needing to be calm and not squeezing so much..." Nowi said, pressing a finger against her chin. At that moment, Robin realized what was going through everyone's head.

_'Uh oh...'_ he thought. His face lit up like a freshly plucked tomato when he took into account what Nowi was sounding like. "I got better at it the more I did it but I still need some practice." she finished, still smiling away, completely oblivious of the deep grave she dug Robin into. Tharja, Gaius and Maribelle stared in Robin's direction with blushes of their own and a slight bit of fear was seen in their eyes.

Robin put his hands up defensively when he saw the way the three stared at him. "Umm. Everyone, I can explain this... later. I promise." he said desperately. He was starting to sweat from the continuous stares he received. The constant staring was beginning to scare _him_ at this point. They just... stared at him. "Guys? Really, I promise I can clear things up in a bit..." he said, hoping they would avert there eyes. Although shortly after he finished speaking, he knew just why they stared at him... or passed him, to be accurate.

"I think that would be wise, Robin..." a deep voice said, from behind him. Robin turned quickly in surprise to see who the owner of the voice was. "Oh, Gods. Hello... Frederick..." he said, clenching his teeth.

* * *

**Oh great. Won't chapter 5 be so much fun! I decided to have some fun with RobinxNowi's C support and play around with Nowi's innocence. I think I may have overdone it... **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Wow. This story just keeps attracting new iews and followers every new chapter. Thanks guys! The ones who favorite and review this story are awesome! And of course those of you who just stop by are appreciated too. I've been getting some PMs lately about if I'll make stories focused on other rare pairings like MUxCordelia, MUxPanne, MUxTiki and one on MUxMaribelle. And, right now, I don't plan on it... buuut, if there was enough demand for any other rare couples, who am I to deny the fans? So, if I happen to have a stack of requests for a rare pairing, I just might be inclined to do it. But NOT until this one is finished. So, if any of you people who read these Author Notes are interested in these or other pairings, just shoot me a PM. (MUxTiki seems popular. Are Manakete fanfics really that rare...?)**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

A small group of Shepherds were gathered in the briefing tent to discuss important matters. Not matters of strategy or casualty updates. Oh no. Something else was at work here.

Sitting at the table was Gaius, Tharja, who rather than sitting kept in the corner of the tent, Maribelle, Robin, Nowi, Frederick, and most importantly, captain Chrom. Robin, who had his cloak back, had his hood covering his face. He was utterly mortified at what happened earlier that evening. His eyes were obscured by both the brim of his hood and his silver hair, lowered over them. Gaius sat across from Robin, tapping his fingers on the table, while Maribelle sat right next to Robin. Incidentally, Nowi sat next to Robin's opposite side to Maribelle's, while Frederick sat at the end of the table, with his hands clasped together. He was wearing his formal suit, barring his blue armor. He looked much less bulkier than what one would imagine. Especially since he is in top form for a human being.

Chrom was standing straight up. Tapping his foot and resting his chin on his index finger and thumb, trying to make sense of all this. He was told just moments ago at what 'supposedly' happened between Robin and Nowi while they were off collecting firewood. Although, he was willing to give Robin the benefit of the doubt. He didn't take Robin for a person to do such things that were alluded to during Maribelle and Frederick's explaination.

"Alright. So, Nowi, you said you and Robin were simply collecting firewood... and he was teaching you something that involved... 'snakes', right?" Chrom said, clearing his throat after.

"Yessir." Nowi answered. "I was talking about the animals. I didn't know people thought I meant Robin's naughty bits..." Robin slammed his forehead on the table by the blunt wording Nowi put into her clarification.

'_Naughty bits!? That's it. If Risen or some fool Plegian's axe doesn't strike me down, then Frederick or Maribelle just might do the honors...'_ Robin thought silently.

"Mmhmm..." Chrom responded. "And, what about 'doing it' against a tree?"

"Well, Robin was teaching me to hit a snake with stones. And we practiced tossing stones at a tree because the only snake that was around was already knocked out." she answered, twiddling her fingers together. She was starting to feel bad about putting Robin in such a situation. Everyone here nearly pinned him as some sort of deviant because of the way she worded things. "I didn't know saying things that way was could have given the wrong impression... Oh, and he said my fingers were too tense when holding the stone and that I had to relax my fingers before throwing it."

Chrom nodded slightly, putting the pieces together. "Well, if that's truely what had happened, then I see no reason Robin should be put under such harsh judgement... Frederick." he said, pointing is gaze at the knight in question.

Frederick bowed his head in regret. "My apologies, milord. I had not considered such matters when I overheard the conversation." he admitted.

Chrom raised an eyebrow at that last bit. "You never told me you were eavesdropping..."

"Er... that is. Well, I was also gathering firewood and just happened to pass by Robin when I heard such talk..." he admitted. Chrom believed him on that front. Frederick had an odd obsession with lighting things on fire, so it was possible for him to pick up odd happenings out of context while collecting wood.

"Well. Regardless of the circumstances, it seems Robin is innocent of any accusations." Chrom walked over to Robin, whose head was still firmly planted on the table. "Peace, friend. I'll make sure this whole misunderstanding will go unheard. And, I'll make sure to give Frederick a lecture on eavesdropping and asking questions before jumping to conclusions." he said, looking back at the knight.

"I am prepared to endure hours of lecturing on end, if that be my punishment, milord." Frederick said, his head still bowed.

With most of this all settled, it seemed like everyone was geared up to leave. Tharja was the first to leave, preferring to keep her distance as usual, while Gaius and Maribelle left... Well, not 'left' but rather Gaius was _dragged out_ by Maribelle, who then received a very loud lecture of his own. Robin lowered his hood and walked out of the tent, giving a departing wave to everyone else inside.

Robin proceeded to walk to his tent and just prepare for bed. He didn't feel like staying outside for much longer and wanted to finish reading a book on tactics and strategic movement he received from Sumia a while ago. He was able to shift through a few pages every night if he had the energy after a battle, but he had really put quite a few pages behind him with these past two days of rest. Almost all of the other Shepherds were still chatting around fires and passing the time until their next mission.

He walked to his tent, greeting his friends as they passed him on his way. As he approached, he heard the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow behind him rapidly. He figured it was someone who was rushing to tell him something. He turned to give the meet the one who was coming to him and saw it was Nowi, of all people who was rushing to him.

_'Nowi?'_ He wondered. _'I wonder what she wants?'_ Robin stayed in place as Nowi ran to him, closing the distance and throwing her arms around him. The sudden embrace was unexpected, and Robin didn't even know how to react. He heard sniffling, coming from her.

"Nowi? Are you okay? You're not getting sick from the cold, are you?"

Nowi kept her grip tight. "Oh, Robin! I'm so sorry! I'm really sorry! Please don't hate me!" she cried.

"Oh, I see. You're not getting sick at all..." Robin pulled Nowi back from him to see her face. She was clearly upset at what happened. Her face was twisting in sadness and her eyes were welling up in tears. Even her pointed ears looked like they were starting to droop downward.

"I'm not sick! I'm just... I'm so sorry!" she said again. A tear trickled down her eye.

"Nowi, easy. I know you didn't mean to get me in trouble. Please, stop crying. It's okay..." he said, but Nowi was still upset. She gripped the front of his cloak and squeezed them as she sobbed.

"No, it's not okay! I should have known what i was saying back there. And now I probably made you look like some sort of pervert in front of everyone." she whined.

Nowi's crying was starting to attract the attention of a few of the Shepherds. Not too many, but enough that it would not look very good to the uninformed. The last thing Robin needed was some other misunderstanding to rise, but what was he supposed to do? The only other person to break down like this was Cordelia when she conveyed how much she loved her fallen Sisters-In-Arms and their sacrifice to make sure she would live.

With not much of an idea to go on, Robin just decided to imitate what he did to comfort Cordelia. He wrapped his arms around Nowi and hugged her close to him. Nowi's face rested gently on his shoulder, her tears soaking into the fabric of his cloak.

After a good amount of sobbing, and hiccuping, Nowi's crying finally stopped. Only a light sniffle or two was all that remained of her episode. Instinctively, Robin started rubbing Nowi's shoulder to comfort her. "See? Everything's fine. I don't hate you, Nowi." he said, softly.

Robin began to feel something inside of him, while he stood there in the cold, holding Nowi in his arms. He couldn't quite tell what it was though. He didn't feel this way when Cordelia cried into his arms. With Nowi, it felt different... It didn't feel like a friend consoling a friend. He could not tell just what it was though.

After Nowi was completely finished with her sniffling, she wrapped her arms around Robin too. She didn't seem to know why either. It was just instinct, she wagered. Nowi snuggled her cheek against Robin's shoulder and buried her face in his neck. She inhaled Robin's scent, from being so close to him. A comforting scent that she found appealing. It was the same scent that was on his cloak when she was wearing it.

Robin could feel Nowi's now relaxed breathing on his neck. She seemed to have calmed down. He patted her shoulder a few times.

"There. Are you feeling better, Nowi?" he asked.

Nowi, closed her eyes and answered in a relaxed tone. "Y-Yeah." as she continued to hug him.

Robin's heart was starting to beat rapidly. It seemed to accompany the feeling he was having while hugging Nowi. He felt... happy. Very happy. He really didn't have the words to explain what it was that made him feel like this about Nowi, but for some reason, he just felt happy when she was calm. When he saw that she was upset, he was somewhat upset too. Why was that?

Whatever it was that he was feeling, Nowi felt that way too. When she had gotten him in trouble, she felt absolutely terrible about it. She felt even worse when she feared that he would never want to talk to her again. But why did SHE feel that way? All her life, humans avoided her for being a Manakete, or would just tease her. What would it matter if Robin would do the same? It wasn't just that though, just the thought of Robin not speaking to her again was upsetting that it would make her want to cry all over again. She just wanted to talk with Robin all the time. Learn about him. For some reason, he was special to her, but she couldn't tell why.

Before even meeting the other Shepherds, he was the very first human friend that she ever had. When he saw her transform on a battlefield not too long ago, he was shocked at first, but after the fighting was over, he just smiled at her and thanked her for her help and asked her to join the Shepherds. The last human to see her transform had sold her into slavery for entertainment. Now, here they were, after getting him into trouble, he forgave her without a second thought and is comforting her. Keeping her close. Warm. Just being next to him like this was better than wearing his cloak.

Her face was blushing from hugging Robin. He was so warm to the touch and so comforting, she almost didn't want to let him go. Eventually, she did however. She felt all better from having a shoulder to cry on. She was relieved also, knowing that Robin would continue to be her friend.

"Hey, Robin... I'm sorry again. Not for getting you in trouble, but for just losing it like that." she rubbed her eye of dried tears and smiled. That smile. The very same smile that she makes whenever she was happy, the one that makes Robin happy. "I cry a lot, but I don't usually have someone to hold me like that... Thank you. And thanks for being my friend. You're the best" she said. Her blush, continuing to spread itself across her cheeks.

Robin couldn't help but smile. "You're welcome Nowi. I'll always be your friend. If you need a shoulder to cry on, I'll always be around, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks again, Robin." she said. Nowi walked passed Robin back to the fire pit where Tharja, Gaius and Maribelle were sitting, all the while, looking back at Robin, who looked to her also, waving as she left.

Robin walked into his tent and sat on his bedroll, holding his right hand over his chest. His heart was beating rapidly still and he could feel is face heating up from a blush he had while holding Nowi. Instead of falling asleep, he just laid down on his bedroll and held his chest, continuing to think of Nowi.

* * *

Nowi walked back to the group and sat down on the log that she was at before. She looked upward, smiling and taping her toes together. She was still thinking of Robin, and the way he was so nice to her, and the happiness she felt just by being near him.

Maribelle sipped out of a newly freshened cup of tea, that continued to brew over the aqua-colored fire. "Well, well! Happy that we're not in trouble, dear?" she said, smiling at Nowi. Maribelle was happy herself that Robin had not been participating in lewd activities with Nowi and he remained the gentleman she had trained him to be.

"No. Well, yes, but it's just that... I feel really happy right now. Like REALLY happy!" she exclaimed.

"Well, what brought this on then? Did you find some dropped gold on your way back?" Maribelle asked.

"Or snacks...?" Gaius said, with a hopeful look.

"No no, nothing like that... But, if you wanna know, Maribelle, I'll tell you later... Just the two of us. Okay?" she said. Her large, purple eyes twinkled when she spoke these words.

Maribelle saw that twinkle in her eyes. Whatever it was that had Nowi so happy must have been quite something. She sipped her tea and set her cup aside. "Well, alright dear. Whenever you wish to talk with me, just come by my tent. I'll be waiting with an open ear and a fresh pot of tea."

Gaius and Tharja just looked at each other. Neither one of them knew what in the world was going on.

* * *

Just over 1 hour later, the Shepherds had turned in for the night. Each had gone to their respective tent to turn in for the night while Chrom and Sumia were on their nightly patrol of the camp ground. In one of the tents, however, a lantern had not been turned out for the night. It was coming from Maribelle's tent.

On the inside, true to their words, Nowi had come to speak with Maribelle, who had prepared some tea for the both of them. Maribelle poured a cup for herself and Nowi and sat back in a small cushion.

"Alright, dear, so tell me what's got you so giddy tonight?" she asked.

"Well... Maribelle, I've got a question to ask you first, if you don't mind... Have you ever had someone special in your life?" she asked.

Maribelle didn't even hesitate to give an answer. "Oh, absolutely. My treasure Lissa is the most special person in the world to me. Why, I would give my life if such a situation called for it, and wouldn't think twice on it."

Nowi eyes widened. "Ooh, really? Why is Lissa so special to you?" she asked, sipping some of the tea she was given.

"Well, if you must know, I grew up with the strictest of parents when it came to a noble bearing. I was hardly an approachable girl when I was a child, so I didn't have friends because they were more casual in their speech or upbringing. But Lissa, oh no, she couldn't care less from what noble house I was a part of. The way she would speak and understand me was the first I had ever had a friend. Such a kindness is something I can never repay her in this life, and it is that very friendship that we share is why I can say Lissa is a very special person to me." she said, smiling contently. "But tell me dear, what does my story have to do with yours?"

"Well, actually it has everything to do with it. Because I just found someone special too!" she squealed.

Maribelle's interest was piqued rather quickly. "Oh my. What makes this person so special?"

"Well, I've never met anyone like him before... And I've been around for a-thousand years! He's the nicest person I've ever met in my life and... Well, when I'm around him, I just can't help but want to hug him and never, ever let him go!"

Maribelle leaned forward on her cushion, her attention captured utterly. "Go on, dear! Don't spare any details! Is he smart? Dashing? Does he know the right words to say!?" she asked.

Nowi rocked back and forth as she mulled over each question. "Well, he is really smart. He's kinda good looking too. And it's not really what he says but what he does and how he makes me feel."

Maribelle gripped her teacup and nodded at each answer. "Is he a Manakete like you? I don't believe I've seen any around these parts." she asked.

"No. He's a human. Although I don't think his species matters." she answered.

"Ahh, quite right dear, quite right. I must say though, I find it interesting that a Manakete can feel this way for someone outside their own species."

"Really? Is it that weird...?" Nowi scratched her head about the thought.

"No, dear! Not at all! Don't mind me, just tell me, who is this wonderful man?" she asked, leaning forward even more, eagerly waiting.

Nowi leaned back, closed her eyes and blushed. "It's... It's..." she stammered.

"Yes!?" Maribelle urged, shaking Nowi's shoulder.

"It's Robin. I don't know why, but Robin is really special to me!" she said. She started sweating and her heart began racing.

Maribelle's eyes widened when she heard the name pass her lips. "R...Robin?" she asked. "Robin is special to you...?" she asked.

Nowi nodded and closed her eyes, feeling embarrassed. "I just get this feeling when I'm with him. I don't know what it is though. I've never felt this way about another person... Manakete or human. What does it mean Maribelle?" she asked.

Maribelle sat back in her cushion and her face seemed to droop a little bit. She traced her finger along the rim of her teacup. "Well, Nowi... It seems like you have... fallen in love..." she said. A lump was forming in her throat when she spoke the words.

"Love... I'm... I'm in love with Robin?" Nowi placed her hand over her mouth when she said it. "I dunno... I mean... Robin was the first human who's ever been my friend but... I didn't know that I fell in love with him."

"Well, the heart can be full of many emotions. What you feel could be love, or a deep friendship, like how I feel with Lissa." she said. "What do you feel, Nowi?"

Nowi stared into her cup of tea, seeing her reflection. She wasn't certain that she was in love. She had never felt love before. She didn't know if she was feeling love now, or if Robin was just a really good friend. Saying that she was in love didn't feel right just yet. She had to explore her own heart first.

Nowi exhaled and took a deep sip of tea until her cup was empty. She could only see a distorted reflection of herself in the straggling drops of tea in the cup. She didn't lift her head to answer, "Honestly Maribelle? ...I feel confused..."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Okay, so it's time for the Shepherds to stretch their legs and pick themselves up by their bootstraps. Now is the beginning of the end... of the Ylisse-Plegia war. This story is nowhere near finished yet. Oh, and since my invitation for other couples was scribbled up on the last chapter, I've gotten a FLOOD of e-mails and PMs to do ones on MUxTiki, and MUxMaribelle. I'll say now that both of those are absolutely do-able, but again, I have to finish this one first. So sit tight until then, guys! (Seriously though, I got a LOT for MUxTiki. Everyone must love Manaketes.)**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Three days had come and gone and quite a few things had happened: The Exalt of Ylisse had met an untimely end, and the Shepherds went into hiding. Although despite all of these harsh turn of events, the strong spirit of each and every Shepherd never diminished. Though their one and only defeat was a most crushing blow, one that may have possibly been a loss that they should not have afforded, they stood strong, carrying the sorrow of their comrades replacing it with reassurance and support.

However, Robin was still taking it quite hard. Even after three days of rest and in the company of his closest friends, the loss they encountered in Plegia was still twisting in his mind like a thief's dagger in his gut. He would put on a face of one who the problems of the world did nothing to faze him, but on the inside, he was still hurting. He could not forgive himself until Gangrel had fallen for his heinous crime. What hurt him the most was not that he had failed in his duty as a Tactician, but that he had failed Chrom and Lissa. People who he saw as his best of friends.

What hurt him more was his inability to sympathize with them. To his knowledge, he had no family to his name. He did not know the loss of a family member, or the loss of a loved one. He hated the fact that he could not identify with their pain, which hurt worse than any wound he received thus far. Although Chrom, Lissa, Frederick or any of the others never held it against him, he felt it was his responsibility for Gangrel to pay for what he had done.

And yet, despite all of these troubles that he carried, there was always people around him that helped him with his pain. The most notable of which was Nowi. The night before, Robin and Nowi had a sort of connection with each other. A connection not unlike what he shared with Chrom and Lissa. Although he had a strong friendship with every other Shepherd in the army, Nowi waqs different. She was the only person who made all of his sorrows melt away, with her bright smile and upbeat personality. Her happiness always resonated with everyone else, and he admired that. She was there when Emmeryn died, and even though she was aware of the impact of the event, she chose not to linger on it. She continued to smile and kept everyone else smiling along with her.

The other day, when Nowi and Robin spoke with each other and comforted one another, it was the first time since Emmeryn's death that Robin had been able to sleep at night. The last two days were filled with terrible nightmares of him replaying events in his head, again and again and again. Hoping, dreaming, crying, for a way for him to rewind time and do everything all over again. But when Nowi was with him, he looked away from the past and was able to see that his mind should be focused on the future. Such a time could not have been more important than how: The Shepherds were rested and healed, and it was time to end this war for good and all.

* * *

The brisk morning was a calm one. The nightly snow storm had subsided and left only a pink, dawn sky and calm weather. The time for resting was over. In the briefing tent, Frederick, Chrom and Robin, the strategic trinity had met to discuss their plans for what to do on their next move on Gangrel's army.

"Alright, it may have not been too long ago that we were defeated, but we have had ample time for Gangrel to take in his victory. It's time we swipe the plush, red carpet from beneath him and end this war." Robin said, a note of booming confidence in his voice.

Chrom smiled and slammed his open palm on the table. "I've never heard words more beautiful that those, friend. What's our plan of action?" he asked.

"I'm glad you asked. Frederick, the map, please." Robin signaled.

Frederick obliged and spreaded the Ylissean continental map to the table, rubbing the many creases out of it.

Robin picked out a box of chess pieces for a demonstration, the same pieces that he would use to have weekly games with Virion when off-duty. He placed the black and white king pieces in a remote area of Plegia, and various assortments of pawns and knights to represent Gangrels army and the Shepherds. Before he started explaining the plan, Stahl stepped in and asked for Frederick to see someone outside. Although reluctant at first, Chrom discharged him to see what was needed.

"Okay, Chrom, here's the basic gist of my plan. Unlike the battle at Plegia Castle, Gangrel isn't expecting us to attack, so his army is no doubt in smaller numbers. Along with that, there is a chance that his numbers could be even smaller still due to rebellion in his ranks, like I mentioned earlier." Chrom nodded, as Robin adjusted the chess pieces.

"So, here is the basic skeleton of the plan. There is an flat area of land just on the outskirts of Plegia, no sand, no rocky ground, and no obscuring land formations. It's located just beyond a river. That's where this venue will be. I may not be completely accurate, but Basilio informed me that Gangrel was traveling across Plegia to spread his word of victory to the people, and after making some rough estimations of his path, I have some good reason to believe that they will be here in just over 36 hours, around high noon tomorrow." Robin traced his fingers around the Plegian area, pointing to his predicted location.

Chrom was taken aback by all of this, "You've been tracking their movements even after we fled?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Absolutely. After what happened, there was no chance that I would simply let them go." Robin responded. His eyes were growing sharp when he spoke, a sign of his anger that still grew inside of him. Chrom patted his shoulder, silently telling him to take it easy. Still, Chrom was amazed, vengeful or not, that Robin would never lose a target so easily. It was times like this that he was grateful that Robin was on his side.

Taking a second and exhaling calmly, Robin continued.

"So, for the moment we should be on the move in a few hours and march towards the border of Plegia and make camp there, then we rest up once more and lie in wait for Gangrel's army to appear. At which point..." Robin moved the chess pieces together. "we attack Gangrel's army. Now, onto the method of attack."

Just as Robin was paring up the chess pieces, Frederick re-entered the tent with an Ylissean spy, garbed in a dark red cloak, the color of the Plegian army.

"This man said he had important information to share with us, milord." Frederick said, stepping aside to let the man speak.

"Milord, Robin, I've news regarding Plegian matters, sir!" he said, bowing to Chrom and Robin.

"A spy... I don't remember commissioning a-" Chrom cut himself off when he caught the 'Robin' part of the spy's introduction. _'Well played again, friend.'_ Chrom thought.

"Go on. I was just about to mention our attack plan."

"It seems your hunch was right, sir. The people of Plegia and even the Plegian army are rebelling! Gangrel's army is in shambles, and those who remain are faithfuls who serve only as secruity." he said.

"How is Gangrel taking action?" Robin asked, rubbing his chin.

"Little to none, sir. He's convinced that he has won against us and seems to care not of deserters. He has made examples of a very few number of traitors, so as to quell an uprising, which seems to have worked for the most part, but as the current situation stands, he has a very minimal amount of men consisting largely of mages with a small array of axemen, swordsmen and wyvern riders." he said.

Robin closed his eyes and bowed his head while stroking his chin, a pose he normally assumed when thinking of strategies. _'Now he's using mages, hm? I can find a way around this...'_

After mulling over the details, Robin walked over to a chest stored on the far end of the tent, which contained each of the Shepherds' payment. He grabbed a sizable pouch and tossed it to the spy. "Your assistance is very much appreciated. Here's your compensation."

The spy grabbed the pouch out of the air and hid it on his person under the robes he wore. "Thank you, sir. Though the end of this war would be an even better payment. I'll leave the rest to you."

And with that, the spy exited the tent and ran towards the dense, snow covered forested area, disappearing within seconds.

Frederick turned to the others. "I cannot say I approve of such shady business, but the ending result would be more than worth it. But tell me, Robin, with whose stipend did you pay that rogue with?"

"Oh, well... That was my money that I saved up." Robin scratched his head. "Every time I get paid for helping with the war effort I take half of the earnings and put it to other things such as new weapons, armor, maybe luxuries such as extra rations, but I decided to use what I saved up to pay off the spy to help us with the war effort. I don't have too much left, but I can still afford enough to keep alive on the battlefield."

Chrom and Frederick looked at each other. Robin was willing to give up gold out of his own pocket to end this war; a testament to how he cared to keep everyone on the path to victory. Chrom looked at Robin with a proud smile. "Robin, everything that you have done for us, it's more than we could ever ask. You have my greatest thanks." he said.

Robin smiled back. "Well, a pouch of gold is nothing next to a bright and peaceful future for everyone. That's what I really want."

"Even so, you've done more than what we asked and even more still. If there is anything we can do to repay you, you need only ask."

"It's too soon for something like that, Chrom. First we have to win this war!" Robin chuckled.

"Of course, of course. Please, continue with the battle plan." Chrom said, leaning back over the map.

Frederick walked out of the tent, "I'll go and rally the Shepherds and inform them we move out in a matter of hours. You can give me a review of the battle plan as we march to it, sirs." Frederick walked out of the tent, leaving the two to their business.

* * *

Nowi yawned and stretched her arms, as she woke from her long sleep. She rubbed her eyes and tossed her blanket off herself and groggily drssed herself in her familiar clothing. After adjusting her outfit and placing her head ornament across her forehead, she stepped out of her tent and saw some of the Shepherds scurrying about camp, packing their things away.

"Awww. I hate it when I'm the last one up..." she said, puffing her cheeks out and crossing her arms. Well, there was no helping it now. She walked back into her tent and grabbed all of her essentials that littered the floor and packed them away, then took her tent down and carried all of her belongings to the convoy of wagons.

About half of the camp was tucked away and ready to leave, Nowi had it easy since she didn't have many things, besides her dragonstone, and a few baubles she found on the roadside during marches. She wandered through camp, speaking with the others, getting info on their next move. As she wandered around, she finally found Maribelle, who was busy with sorting out her staves and a few new tomes she was sold by a sprightly red-haired merchant.

Maribelle saw Nowi coming to her and waved as she approached. Good afternoon, Nowi. If you're looking for Robin, he should almost be done with his briefing with Chrom." she pointed to the tent where their meetings were held.

"Oh, thanks, but that's not why I stopped by. Where are we going today? I tried talking with a few people but they were all busy... Except for that Lon'qu guy... he sorta just ran away." she pursed her lips at the way he ran off.

Maribelle inspected one of her Mend staves but still made an effort to respond. "Well, it appears we're going to a head-to-head battle with Gangrel's forces, and this time, for the end of this war. Frederick has assured us of a new tactic that Robin has planned that should see us through to victory." she said, smiling, waiting for the day she can return to her manor and studies.

Nowi's eyes widened in amazement. "Really? We're gonna put an end to all the fighting? That's great news!" she exclaimed. "So, when do we get going!? When do we throw down!? I wanna get all this fighting and people getting hurt over with!" she said, shaking Maribelle's shoulder.

Maribelle pushed Nowi's arms away and dusted shoulders off. "It won't be overnight, dear. First, we must march to the appointed spot. We'll not be leaving for at least another hour, but it will certainly be a long one. After that, it all depends on us whether we win or lose."

"Right. And I'm gonna fight my hardest and make sure none of my friends get hurt!" Nowi said, pumping her dragonstone skyward.

"I just hope we can all live to _see _the end. I cannot wait to return home. And I'm sure you've got family and friends you'd like to get back to as well." Maribelle said.

Nowi's demeanor dropped a tone. "Actually... I don't. I don't really have a home to go back to right now. I'm not even sure I'm from this place at all. I remember being on a ship for a few days before escaping and meeting with you guys over here, so I'm pretty far away from whatever friends or family I had. So, I don't know what I'll do when this fights over..."

Nowi's head drooped downward and she rubbed her thumb across her dragonstone. Before meeting up with the Shepherds, she didn't belong to any land in particular. What would she do when this war is over and there was no need for anymore fighting? She certainly couldn't return home, she didn't know _where_ it even was. Until now, Nowi had not thought about what she would do when the fighting was over, and now that she did start thinking about it, the thought of her friends just going their separate ways when this ended saddened her. Nowi hated being alone. What would she do when there was no need to be around?

Maribelle saw the shift in Nowi's attitude. "What's wrong, dear? Shouldn't you be excited that this war is going to end? No more fighting, no worrying about who will die tomorrow, no risking your life everyday. It's glorious, certainly no call for such a sour expression."

Nowi looked up at Maribelle. She didn't understand. "It's nothing... I was just thinking is all... I'll see you later. I think I'll go and see what Lissa is up to or play with Ricken or something..." Nowi walked off, thinking on what she would do if this war came to an end. She noticed Chrom and Robin walking out of the briefing tent and walked towards them.

Maribelle was still puzzled at the way she reacted. Everyone was ready to return home from the battlefield but Nowi seemed to be the only one here who looked sad when she heard news of the war possibly coming to an end.

* * *

Chrom and Robin shook hands and went their separate ways, heading off to their respective quarters to get their things packed up. Chrom ran over to Sumia, to help her with a large pile of books she was carrying. He knew one way or the other, she would trip and fall with the way she was carrying everything.

Robin walked over to his tent, while unknowingly being followed by Nowi. Just as he was about to walk into his tent and pack away his books and bedroll, he felt a tug on the hood of his cloak.

"Huh? Oh, hello, Nowi. Are you ready to get going?" he asked.

Nowi, for the most part had a normal expression, not as gloomy as when she was talking to Maribelle. "Yeah. I'm good to go Robin, can I ask you a question?"

Robin looked towards the inside of his tent, which had some cleaning to do, but he figured he could spare an ear. Especially for Nowi. "Sure. What's on your mind?"

Nowi, once again, rubbed her thumbs around the surface of her dragonstone. She always did that when she was nervous. "Well... What are you gonna do when this war is over? I'll bet you've got family to go home to, right?" she asked, not looking up at him.

Robin scratched the back of his head. He hadn't given it much thought. No one ever asked him about what he would do after the war. It was a good question too. "Well... I have no idea really. I don't even know if I have friends or even family to return to... I'm not even sure I have a home. I don't know a thing about my past life. I guess I didn't really give it much thought..." he said.

Nowi remembered that Robin had amnesia, there was no way he would have anything or anyone to return to that he could recall. _'Ugh, you idiot! He lost his memory, remember?' _she scolded herself in her head.

"Right, right. The amnesia thing, I almost forgot. Well, I have another question."

"Sure. Ask me anything." Robin smiled.

"Are you afraid? About losing your friends when this war is over? When we have no one else to fight, everyone will go away and we might never see each other again... Aren't you scared of being alone?" she asked, fighting back a tear. "What if... What if the fighting never ended? We would always be together, right?"

Robin was taken aback to hear something like that. And endless war? That's a nightmare! "Oh, Gods, no. Fighting in an endless war is far worse than being alone, Nowi." he said. "Think about it: If we kept fighting, so much worse could happen. We would never be able to return home, never know a moments respite, never find what's important to us outside of the battlefield."

Nowi was confused. Robin always talked about how he had fun staying with the Shepherds, and he is an amazing tactician, so why would he want a war to end? "Okay... I guess I can understand the going-home-to-your-family-part... But what about you, Robin? You're the tactician here. You'd be out of the job! As long as there's fighting to be done, you'll always have a lined pocket, right? Won't your talents go to waste if there's no war to fight?" she asked.

Robin stroked his chin and thought it over. It's true, he loved being with the Shepherds more than anything, and it was also true that his tactical skills were second to none. "Well, I think the best tactician is an unemployed one. I've heard some people say the best sword is the one you never have to use, right? I like to think of my position that way. Fighting is wrong, any way you see it. Even if you're righting for a noble goal, lives will be lost. And at the end of the day, no one wants to throw their life away. Even this war, we were dragged into by some selfish craven who wanted nothing but blood. Since then we've felled many soldiers who fought against us. Soldiers who had families and friends that _they_ could have returned to... And it's entirely possible that in an endless war, even the Shepherds could end up on the wrong end of a lance..."

Nowi saw what Robin meant. Shedding blood was no way for someone to live. Even if you're with your closest friends, fighting every day and toiling away is not truly living. "I understand, you just don't want your friends to get hurt."

"It's more than that, Nowi." Robin said. "Yes, above all, I want you and everyone else here to live a happy life, away from swords and axes, but most of all... I just want to live in a world of peace. I want to live in a world where there is no need to take up arms, to fight and kill to survive. I know you haven't been here for very long Nowi but, you remember Emmeryn? The woman who died at Plegia Castle that we were trying to save?"

Nowi nodded. "She's Chrom and Lissa's big sister, right?"

"Yes. And more than anything, she wanted to put a stop to the fighting. She was the very portrait of peace. I wish you could have seen or spoken to her just once." Robin could still envision her peaceful and majestic visage. "She did everything she could to keep people from fighting. You're friends with Maribelle, right? A while back, Gangrel kidnapped Maribelle to try and start the war that we're in now, and even though Chrom was ready to put Falchion through his chest, Emmeryn tried to speak with him and offer a peaceful way to settle things. And when we were at Plegia... she sacrificed herself just to make a point that fighting would bring no happiness, only sorrow..." Robin's memories of Emmeryn's death were flashing back to him. But he pushed through the gruesome images. "That's why... That's why I never wish for an endless war. But, there's another reason why I'm not afraid Nowi."

Nowi looked up from her dragonstone, she hoped this was the answer she was looking for.

"It's because, even if we're far apart from our friends, it doesn't mean our friends are gone. We're all connected to each other by our friendship. An invisible bond we share that we forged with our time together. Sumia and Chrom, Gaius and Maribelle, Lissa and Vaike, even... you and me. We're all connected to each other in some way. I think it's what makes us stronger than any other army out there. It's also why I'm not afraid of losing my friends. I'll always be with them, and they'll always be with me. All I have to do is think about them and I'll never be alone. You understand?"

Nowi looked into Robin's eyes. The sheer honesty in his answer was unexpected. She never thought of it that way. He was right: whenever she fought with her friends, she was more powerful than fighting alone, and she never was sad when she thought about them when she _was_ alone. Her glum expression soon turned to one of happiness, renewed by Robin's words.

"You're right! You're absolutely right! Even if I'm not with you guys, I'll always remember you! And I'm a Manakete after all, I'll outlive you guys someday, so believing in this bond we have is something I need to remember, because I wanna remember nice people like you and Maribelle down the line when you're not around anymore." Nowi still smiled, knowing that Robin and her other friends wouldn't be around in her future, because she believed in the bonds that they shared. "So, when this war is over, and we're apart, I'll always remember you!" she said happily. As always, she had the Nowi-smile that Robin enjoyed seeing.

"Right. And, I'd actually like to give you something, just to keep our bond strong." Robin went into his tent briefly and came back out with a book. The book had a faded red binding on it and the pages were filled with dog-ears. "This was my favorite book on tactics. I remember every page from front to back. It's very special to me, and I want you to have it, Nowi."

Nowi looked at the book titled _'Swords, Axes, and Lances.' _a basic book on tactics that any tactician worth their salt would know, and a first edition, no less. Nowi grabbed the book with both hands and opened it. It was filled with details and illustrations on the trinity of weapons and magic, movement through various terrain, et cereta. Some pages had pen markings and small notes that Robin had scribbled in himself. Although one page had a huge blot of ink, although that was Lissa's fault for goofing around with it.

"So, is this what you study to be a good tactician?" she asked, flipping through the dog-eared pages.

"That's one of them. I have a small shelf in my tent filled with others, and more complicated ones too." he said, pointing back at his tent.

Nowi closed the book and held it against her chest. "Thanks, Robin! I promise I'll always take good care of it! And when this war is over, I'll always remember you as my bestest friend!" And with that, Nowi walked to the convoy to read her new book and prepare for the battle ahead.

Robin waved to her as she left. He felt happy inside that he could ease Nowi's troubles.

"Alright... Now, gotta pack my things away. We've got a war to win." he walked inside his tent and began picking up all the books cluttered around.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Okay, we're almost at the final battle of the Ylisse-Plegia war. Just one last chapter before the big clash. Also, I'd like to thank everyone who reads and reviews my story and those who follow and favorite it, again. It's nice to see people enjoying my storytelling, it means that I'm actually doing a good enough job! So, thank you guys again. You're all awesome!**

* * *

**Chapter** **7**

The Shepherds were marching directly into enemy territory. After spending the entire day marching from the cold, frigid snows of Ferox, to the borders of Plegia, near the very edge of the Ylissean continent, they finally made it to the grounds where their greatest battle would be waged. It was just as Robin said, a mostly flat land of desert ground, just across a river, due Northwest of Plegia Castle. By Robin's calculations, after traveling the entire day, and well into the night, the battle between Gangrel's army and the Ylissean League should take place in no more than 12 more hours, at high noon. Everyone set up camp in no time, and tents dotted the cracked desert ground.

Robin, Frederick and Chrom convened in the briefing tent, filling Frederick in on the details one last time before the decisive battle.

"And then, Frederick, you, me, Stahl and Sully will make an opening for Chrom and Sumia to fly right in and strike down Gangrel." Robin reviewed, moving around and knocking chess pieces over on the map. "I can only make very rough estimates of the battle to come without seeing the enemies formation and equipment but I have no doubt that we can make this work and be back home in Ylisstol by the end of the week."

Frederick nodded in approval. "Such elegant movements, even in unfamiliar territory. I find it hard not to feel almost overconfident in our victory." Frederick said, showing a rare smile. A smile which quickly faded. "But, I shall endeavor to keep a leveled head. Even the slightest bit of cocky thinking could spell our end." he said, returning to his normal, cold demeanor.

"Well said, Frederick The Wary." Chrom chucked. "But I have full confidence in Robin's skills. If he can assure us victory, then I can rest easy tonight." . He smoothed his blue hair over, and sighed of relief, seeing that the war was coming to an end, finally.

"Even so, milord, I will stay vigilant even in the most promising of situations."

Robin put away the chess pieces and rolled the map up and tucked it away in it's proper place. "Well then, meeting adjourned, I suppose. We should get to bed as early as possible, I know I will. I want to be at the top of my game for tomorrow."

Chrom raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? It wouldn't hurt to at least speak one more time with your companions before tomorrow's battle. Everyone in camp is always happy to speak with you."

Robin's eyes drifted to the top of the tent as he thought. "Well... I supposed I could spare an hour or two. It doesn't look like anyone else is turning in for a while anyways."

"That's the spirit! Come on, let's go and speak with everyone." Chrom placed an arm over Frederick and Robin as the tree walked out of the tent. He nudged the two over to the many circle of campfires that housed the same group of Shepherds, just like always: Stahl, Sully, Cordelia, Vaike and Sumia sat around one campfire, Gregor, Lon'qu, Ricken and Lissa around another, while Miriel was off with Kellam studying his odd ability to disappear sometimes, while Panne stalked the desert area in her Taguel form, keeping the camp grounds safe from brigands in the night with Libra. And off to another area, the familiar quartet of Gaius, Tharja, Maribelle and Nowi.

Frederick went off to join and converse with his fellow cavaliers, while Robin went off to join his circle of friends. He was held up my Chrom holding his shoulder. "Just a second, Robin. There's something I wanted to show you before you go off." he smiled.

Robin turned and looked back at Chrom with obvious curiosity. Chrom removed on of his gloves and pulled a ring that he wore on one of his fingers, and showed it to Robin. It was magnificently crafted, made out of pure silver, with intricate designs on it. Across the band was a symbol of two dragons clashing, with the Mark of the Exalt, the royal sigil of House Ylisse in between the two.

"It's beautiful Chrom. Why are you showing me this ring for, though?" he looked up to him.

Chrom smiled, a blush finding it's way across the Prince's face. "Well... This ring was made to commemorate my birth, and I was told to give it to the woman who I would choose to be my wife... And, when this business with Gangrel is over, I'm going to present it to Sumia."

A smile spread across Robin's face. To see his best friend getting married, and have a royal wedding, of all things, was a sight to see! "Chrom, that's amazing! Although, I can't say that I'm surprised. I've noticed how close you two have grown. I don't know if you or her had a relationship before I joined the Shepherds, but I've seen just how much you two support each other."

"Yeah." Chrom responded, placing the ring and his glove back over his hand. "I was thinking of doing it tonight, but tomorrow's victory seems to be a better time."

"That would be the best choice of the two."

The two then shook hands and walked their separate ways to their companions.

* * *

Robin approached Gaius, Tharja and Maribelle, but for some odd reason, Nowi wasn't around this time. Odd. Robin could have sworn he saw her just a second ago. Robin sat down with the others and waved to each of them.

"Hi guys. Where's Nowi? Wasn't she here a second ago?" he asked, looking left and right across the desert to see if she was off playing with an animal or something.

Maribelle was polishing her Mend staff, wiping away the amount of dirt and sand that clung to it. "I believe the girl said she was hungry and went to look for food. Although, whatever animal she might find in this ghastly wilderness is beyond me. Not even a tree that could bare a single fruit appears to grow here." she huffed.

"Y'know, if she would have just asked, I could have shared some of my stash with her." Gaius said, pulling out a box of small cakes. Robin was genuinely disturbed, where does Gaius possibly keep all of his merchandise? And how does he manage to down so much sugar and not gain weight? He opened his mouth to ask but was cut off by a familiar call from behind him.

"I'm baaaack!" Nowi squealed, carrying a large boa over her neck. Robin was shocked and attempted to scold her on carrying such a dangerous beast, but he noticed the creature was out cold. Nowi spotted Robin's familiar black cloak and rushed over to the campsite. "Hey, Robin! Look at what I got!" she exclaimed, dropping the reptile at his feet.

Robin pokked at it to see if it was alive, which fortunately, it wasn't. "My, that's a big snake. Did you catch it by yourself, Nowi?" he asked.

Nowi grinned in pride. "Yep! But only because of your rock-throwing lessons the other day. I decided to put the practice session we had to the test."

Maribelle yelped in fright, seeing such a large snake. "Eugh! Nowi, why would you bring such a foul creature here!?" She cringed, fearing the beast would come back to life and attack her.

"Aw, don't fret, he's deader than a Risen... Y'know, the ones that stay dead." Nowi reassured. She sat down next to Robin and reached into one of her carrying pouches and pulled her precious blue stone out. "Here, Robin. I wanna thank you for your help by giving you this!" she smiled, placing the stone in Robin's hand.

Robin looked at Nowi with a bit of shock. Wasn't this her most prized object? "But... this is _your _shiny rock. Your most treasured possession. I couldn't accept this Nowi." He said, holding it back to her.

Nowi shook her head and wrapped Robin's fingers around the stone in his palm. "Ah, I'm not THAT fond of it. Besides, I'll just find another one." she admitted.

Robin opened his hand and looked at the luster of the blue stone. "Well, that's... very generous of you, Nowi. Thank you." he said, smiling back to her. Was she compensating for his tactical book that he gave her earlier? Whether it was the case or not, Robin was thankful for the gift. He placed it in a pocket on the inside of his cloak.

The group sat around the campfire, enjoying the heat and looking up at the stars. Gaius finished his box of cakes and just jittered around a bit, probably from the massive intake of sugar, while Tharja was scribbling some new incantations and curses for tomorrow's battle. Maribelle, kept her distance from the big snake and went about her business polishing her staff. Although, she was a little discomforted when she saw Nowi present Robin with what was a treasure to her. She was happy that Nowi found someone she liked, but she was a little sad that a man who she had grown attached to was slipping away from her. Though, Robin had not said a word to HER on the matter, so maybe she still had a chance. But she was conflicted that she might deny another their own true love. She decided to just be patient and see how fate would deal their cards.

After a long moment of silence, Nowi nudged Robin's shoulder. "Say, Robin, you're a good teacher. Is there anything else you can show me?" she asked.

Robin bit his lower lip and thought about the possibilities. Teaching her to wield a sword, or magic tomes seemed moot for one who could turn into a dragon and practically fry the opposition. His stomach began to growl. Robin was embarrassed. He hadn't eaten breakfast today and spent the entire day marching. He laid his eyes on the large snake and got an idea.

"Well..." Robin tapped his chin with his index finger. "How about trying your hand at field cooking? You know, campfire cuisine?" Robin scratched his head. He didn't fancy himself good enough to teach another. "Frederick just started teaching me the basics, so I'm not very good yet, but..."

Nowi's face lit up. What a perfect idea! Nowi was just content with grabbing veggies off the side of the road, or eating small animals as a dragon to get her fill. Actually having a cooked meal would be a welcome change. "That's perfect!" she squealed. "And, if you don't think you're that good yet, we'll practice together and be gourmet chefs in no time!"

Robin picked up the large snake Nowi carried and placed it around the camp fire to start cooking it. "Heh, with that kind of enthusiasm, we just might." he chucked.

Maribelle nearly dropped her jaw at the mere thought of eating a snake. Especially one as ugly and revolting as this one. "Excuse me... you're not going to actually EAT that abomination, are you?" she asked, cringing.

Gaius shared her sentiment, starring at the reptile. "I'm with her on this one, Bubbles. I mean... I've got plenty of other stuff if you're hungry..."

Tharja was indifferent to the whole thing. "Whatever... Just leave me the bones when you're done..." she said.

Maribelle looked at Tharja with a look of pure disgust. "Alright. I've had enough. I refuse to sit here and see you two ingest something so foul. I'll be in my tent if anyone needs me." she huffed, storming off, holding her hand over her mouth.

Robin shrugged the whole thing off. "Her loss. Snake is pretty good when made right. Okay Nowi, pay close attention..." he said, holding the snake gently over the fire.

Nowi watched on, as Robin twisted and rotated the snake over the fire, giving instructions on color, texture and smell.

* * *

A good 30 minutes passed of slow-cooking until the snake, which was nearly blackened was ready to eat... probably.

Robin split the snake down the middle, one half for him and Nowi. "Well... it looks edible... I think?" he said, cringing at the look of it.

Nowi made no such faces though. She was used to eating live animals, so something cooked was bound to be different. "At LEAST? I think it looks totally scrumptious!" she said, licking her lips.

Robin wasn't so sure. "Well, the proof is in the flavor... Which, I dunno, looks like it could fall anywhere between mud and toenails." he grumbled.

"Robin, what are you mumbling about? Let's hurry up and eat already!" she said, waiting to sink her fangs into her meal.

Robin swallowed hard for the possible stomach pain to come. "Er, right... Here goes nothing..."

Gaius and Tharja looked on in disbelief as the two began eating the cooked snake. It was gross enough that they were eating something Nowi found in the wild, but was the audible chewing and slurping really necessary?

After suffering from such an odd sight, the two finished eating. Surprisingly, it was not as bad as Robin had thought. "See? It came out just right!" Nowi said, tossing the bones to the ground. "Oh, sorry, Tharja. Do you still want these?" she asked.

Tharja tried not to retch from watching the whole show. "No, I... You can just leave them there..."

Robin tossed his share of bones into the desert ground. "Hah. Good thing Frederick is such a good teacher." he sighed in relief.

Nowi dusted her hands off. "No, I think you're the good student. I wish I could learn things like you could. I mean, look at me: I've been around for over a thousand years, and what can I do? Nothing. That's what." she said, puffing her cheeks out.

"Don't get so down about it, Nowi. You've got plenty of time to learn new things. You're a Manakete after all, you've got all the time in he world." Robin pulled out Nowi's stone which she gave him earlier. "And, I'll help you, if you want." he said, smiling.

Nowi smiled back, very much interested in learning more from Robin. He already taught her how to hunt and cook. Whatever else he could teach her was just fine by her. "Aww. Thanks Robin!" she said, wrapping her arms around Robin's waist and embracing him.

Robin had already gotten used to Nowi hugging him at random, so he wasn't embarrassed, even if it was in front of company. Tharja was less than optimistic though, as she gripped the binding of her new Flux tome so hard, her knuckles were turning white.

"Right. Well, I think it's time we all got some rest guys. Tomorrow is the day we fight for the end of this war. And I need every one of you to be rested and ready." Robin stood up when Nowi let go of him and walked to his tent. "Good night everyone." he said, waving to them all.

"'Night, Robin!" Nowi waved back. she stayed behind though to enjoy the company of her other friends before heading out. Gaius was still grossed out by the whole show of seeing them eat snake, but was slowly recovering. He unwrapped a new lollipop he plucked from his sleeves and popped it in his mouth.

"Hey, kid, What's up with you and Bubbles, anyways? You two got something going on between each other?" he asked.

Tharja again gripped her tome, stifling a growl. _'They probably do... Robin has shown no interest in me whatsoever... That little Manakete keeps monopolizing him, and that snooty noble is always fawning over him with her lessons... I think it's time I started taking the initiative...'_ she thought. _'But how...? ...Maybe if I could see into his future...?' _

Nowi knew what Gaius meant, but she chose not to directly answer him. "Well, we're good friends. That's all I'm gonna say on that subject." she teased, sticking her tongue out at him.

Tharja was going crazy on the inside. She was madly in love with Robin, but whenever she tried to get close to him, it was either Nowi or Maribelle that was in the way. She needed to know what the future held, so she could take the initiative. "...Nowi..." she muttered.

Nowi looked to Tharja, a little surprised. She never heard her address her by her name before.

"Yes?"

"I need you... to come see me in my tent. Now." she said. It didn't sound like she was giving her a choice. She just got up from where she was sitting and walked to her tent.

Nowi was confused. "Why do people seem to keep asking me to see them in their tent lately?" she wondered aloud.

"Beats me. But I'd do what Sunshine over there says. Trust me... She once asked me to get a bit of hair from Bubbles once, and I said no. She made my tongue swell up for hours... Couldn't even lick a lollipop right..." Gaius shivered at the memory.

"Err... Right. I'll go do that, then..." Nowi got up and followed Tharja to her tent.

* * *

Nowi sat inside Tharja's tent, which had a... different look to it that most others. She had a table with bottles and vials cluttering the top of it, a stack of black tomes that had some sort of archaic language he didn't understand, a ceramic skull with a candle that flitted with a purple tinge inside the center of it. That purple flame was the only source of light in there, as opposed to everyone else using lanterns, so the low lighting was unsettling.

Tharja was scribbling something inside her Flux tome before she closed it and looked at Nowi with her cold eyes. "Listen up. I want you to give me some of your Manakete claws. Nothing much, just a sliver of them will do."

Nowi puckered her lips at the request. "You want my toenails? What would you want those for?" she asked.

"Manakete claws are used in dark mage divinations. I'm going to use them to see the future." she said, keeping that cold stare.

"Ooookay. That's a bit creepy but as long as you're not gonna hex anyone, I'm okay with that." Nowi reached behind her purple cape and pulled out a pouch filled with nothing but her discarded toenails.

Tharja looked at the pouch in surprise and disgust. Who in their right mind has a collection of their toenails? Convenient or not, it was still disturbing.

Nowi rolled her eyes. "Yes. I do collect my toenails. Don't ask. Long story. Slightly gross. Anyway, before I give you this, can I ask a favor? If you're gonna use this for your divinations thing, then can I have the first fortune?" she asked.

"...Why? You want me to look into your future and see who you end up with?" she said, narrowing her already threatening eyes.

Nowi shook her head. "No, nothing like that. Don't even think about poking around in my love life!" she yelled. "All I want... is for you to tell me about my mom and dad. Like where they are, and where I can find them. Can you do that?" she asked, with a hopeful look.

Tharja scoffed at first. She didn't owe Nowi anything, why should she help? But that look in her eyes made her reconsider. Tharja didn't really know much of her parents growing up either when she started down the page of curses and hexing. Besides, she had nothing to lose in the venture anyways. "Yes. Just give me your clippings, and I should be able to tell you tomorrow." she said, rolling her eyes.

Nowi smiled brightly and attempted to hug Tharja, but decided against it. "Yay! Thanks! Here, they're all yours!" she said, handing her the clippings.

"There's one more thing." she said. Without warning though, she plucked a few strands of hair from the top of Nowi's head. Specifically, from the one large cow-lick she had that sprouted from her forehead.

"Ouch!" Nowi whined. "Is that for the fortune telling too...?" she asked. Tharja only nodded and carefully placed the strands on the table behind her.

Despite having her hair plucked rather painfully, Nowi was ecstatic to son be aware of her parent's location. She ran out of Tharja's tent, giggling to herself.

* * *

Everyone in camp was already asleep, but not Tharja. She stayed up late conducting the ritual for a dark divination. She had all she needed for the ritual: Claws of a Manakete, the bones of a snake, which she collected when everyone had fallen asleep, dried bat wings, and a lock of hair from the one who's future would be read. Tharja carefully blended all of the ingredience in a wooden bowl until it mixed into a purple powder. Then, she picked up the small strand of silver hair she got from Robin, when Gaius proved useless.

She dropped the lock of hair into the powder which began to burn into a bright purple flame, and whispered an incantation to know the future of Robin's love life. When it was complete, she blew briskly into the burning powder, which floated to the top of her tent in a thick purple fog. Tharja peered into the haze and focused until an image made itself appear. What she saw didn't come as a surprise to her at all.

"Hmph. I'm not really surprised. Hee hee hee~" she giggled.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: We're finally here. The battle for Ylisse is nigh! Stay tuned for the aftermath, because we're going into detail of what happens during the time of peace. **

* * *

**Chapter 8**

The morning sun of the Plegian outskirts was beating down with much intensity. It was as if the vvery celestial body was giving it's graces to the Ylissean army to win this day. The very heat of the sun was reflectant on every face and heart of the Shepherds who girded themselves for a fight that would prove to be their finest moment. That morning, there was no joking around between friends or campside humor. Everyone was all business and geared up in the best of armors and weaponry.

Chrom stood watching over the horizon. His blue eyes centered in the distance, waiting for Gangrel's army to show themselves. For the time, he was waiting for Frederick to report back from scouting out the situation, as he always did. His right arm twitched in anticipation as he tapped his fingers against Falchion's hilt.

As if on cue, Frederick had come galloping astride his horse back to Chrom and Robin with news on the battlefield.

"Milord, I've news from the Kahns on Gangrel's army." he said. "It seems that Gangrel's troops are indeed laying down their weapons and deserting the battlefield. But, it seems an even larger number have started to leave as well. Yesterday's loyals are today's deserters. Aside from those who serve with the utmost loyalty, his army has all but collapsed."

Chrom's eyes widened in shock and surprise. "But... How? We did receive reports that Gangrel's men had left but now it seems his entire force had fallen apart... How could that be though? Unless..." Chrom's voice trailed off. He thought back to that day when Emmeryn sacrificed herself and the worlds she spoke.

_If you truly seek peace, revenge will not grant it! It will only lead to more sorrow!_

A tear welled up in Chrom's eye from that memory.

"Emm..."

Frederick dismounted his stead and held his hands behind his back. "Aye, milord. Emmeryn. The ones who left the army, and townsfolk chant her name. Her words and sacrifice have made her a local folk hero of sorts." Frederick bowed his head in respect to the late Emmeryn.

"She believed all people wished for peace. Even people from Plegia. I'm glad... I'm glad that the Plegians understand her message... and so do I."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean, Chrom?" he asked.

"I was somewhat blind to the purpose that Emmeryn spoke of, and just why she never wished for bloodshed. It was not just for peace, but also to prevent more lives from being lost. Even after what she said before her death, I was still blind. Madly cutting down more and more of Gangrel's army and not giving it a second thought. But I understand now. It was not just peace she wished for, she wished for life over death, and chose her own death in hopes of giving others a chance to live through her example..." Chrom wiped his eyes with his gloved hand.

Robin turned around, in respect to Chrom. He did not want his leader to feel like he was vulnerable in front of his own subordinates. After a quick minute of silence, Chrom let his hand drop to his side, and his eyes were filled with a new resolve.

"Okay. I know what i must do now. I'm not going after Gangrel for revenge, but to stop his flow of hatred from infecting the rest of this land. I'm sure that's what Emmeryn would have wanted."

Even though he wasn't facing Chrom now, Robin smiled in pride. His friend had finally realized the truth behind Emmeryn.

"Also... I'd like to thank you too, Robin."

Robin turned to meet Chrom's direction. "Me? You mean for getting us through to this point?" he asked.

"Well, that. But, I also know what you were trying to do. Back at Regna Ferox, you claimed that the Shepherds should have stayed and rested because we needed to rest, but I know you, friend. I knew how much you took Emmeryn's message to heart, and you not only helped the army, but me as well. By keeping us in one place, I was able to focus my thoughts, and not go swinging blindly into battle. I'm sorry that it only took me so long to realize this." Chrom extended a hand to Robin, to which he met with his and both shook hands, not as a commander to his soldier, but as friends.

Robin let out a breath of relief. "I'm just glad you did before you rushed into battle. I saw the way you were itching to unsheathe Falchion, but I can see, just by looking at your eyes, you're not out for blood anymore."

"I am too. Thank you. And I'm sure Emmeryn would thank you too."

* * *

At precisely high noon, when the sun was at it's highest point in the sky, Gangrel's army took their place on the battlefield below. Finally, it was time.

Robin took note of the situation, while Chrom was having a back-and-forth with Gangrel. While the two were shouting, he could take this time to assess the situation and direct the others accordingly.

His eyes darted from left to right, focusing on every soldier, every position, every single area they were to cross swords.

_'Okay, to our right across the river are a collection of barracks... no doubt Gangrel has hidden units there to flank us from the rear if we get to close... And... Mages. Mages everywhere... We'll need someone who's good at long and short range... and Gangrel himself is in the back, though he wouldn't move unless one of ours got close, that'll be Chrom and Sumia's show...' _he thought. Robin turned to the other Shepherds who were huddled in a large group behind Chrom.

"Is everyone ready? I've got a plan all set up." Everyone stood at attention. Before Robin could begin his explanation, he noticed a figure rushing up to their position. Whoever they were, they were alone. Even so, Robin reached into his claok and held onto an Elthunder tome. When it, or rather, _she _came close enough, Robin approached but still kept his grip tight.

The woman, ran up to Robin, and slowed her pace to a stop. After brushing her forehead for a quick moment, she stood at attention. "Good day, milord. Am I late for the battle?" she asked.

It took a second to recognize the woman, but Robin remembered that this woman was the one who lead the Shepherds out of the rain-filled canyon and sheltered them in Regna Ferox. "Umm... No, we're set to fight in less than a minute. Are you going to join us? Can you fight?"

"Well, I'm not that good with a sword, but I can dance..." the orchid-haired woman said, blushing and shuffling back a bit.

"Dance...? Forgive me, milady, but what will dancing do for us?" he asked.

"...Y-You're right. There's no way I'd be useful on a battlefield, I'll just be going now." she said, her face blushing a deep red.

Robin grabbed her arm and held her in place. "Wait! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply you were useless! If you made it through all the trouble to join us, then I'm sure you have skills that will no doubt benefit us."

The woman stopped before she could run off, mostly because Robin had her held in place. But, she reluctantly turned back and decided against fleeing. "Alright... I'll do my best to help... but, I doubt I'll do anything that important, so don't feel like you have to rely on me..." she said, in a hushed voice.

Letting go of her arm, Robin directed her to the rest of the Shepherds. "I have no doubt you'll have your uses within our ranks. So tell me, what is your name?" he asked.

"...Olivia..." she squeaked, not even looking at Robin when she spoke. Her shyness around the Shepherds was making her practically shrink in embarrassment.

"Okay, Olivia. We're all glad to have you with us. My name is Robin, I'm the tactician of the Shepherds. Just stay calm and go where you're needed and I promise this will all be over by day's end."

"Right..." Olivia took deep breaths to calm herself for the fight ahead.

Everyone took their position behind Chrom, as he unsheathed Falcion, and raising it high.

* * *

"Panne! Nowi! To the right! Take out those units in the barracks! Sumia, stick with Chrom, Vaike and Lon'qu, head straight towards the center! Lissa, Maribelle, and Olivia, stick together and keep casualties low! Tharja, stick with me and help me cover the cavaliers!" Robin barked his orders to his fellows-in-arms. With no hesitation, everyone swarmed the battlefield, spells and blades flying.

Past the river, Panne rampaged through the seemingly empty barracks, mowing down any soldiers in the vicinity with great success. What few that got away from her were blasted away by Nowi's dragon fire. On the other side of the battlefield, Chrom rode Pegasus-back with Sumia, dodging arrows and magic. Lon'qu and Vaike rushed into the heart of danger, back-to-back fending off the bulk of the enemy army. Although things got rough for them, Maribelle and Lissa were nearby to lend a tome and a quick Mend staff for them.

Meanwhile, Tharja stuck _very _close to Robin, keeping his back safe, while he watched his front, bringing down bolts of Elthunder onto mages and archers that turned their eyes to Sully and Stahl who served as a diversion to the main force. Frederick stuck it out to the far side of the battlefield, cutting down swordsmen and axe-wielders alike.

"Geez! I thought Robin said this army was torn to bits! They sure are puttin' up a huge fight!" Vaike said, guarding against a sword. "Ol' Teach might actually break a sweat today!"

"Bare with it! It could be much worse than this!" Lon'qu scolded, cutting down the sword wielder that nearly took Vaike's head. "And keep your eyes open!"

"Don't worry! Teach is watchin'!"

"Pfft..."

Back to the rear, Panne had brought down Gangrel's backup in the barracks, and rushed towards the battlefield, her Taguel claws kicking up sand as she ran through the hot desert. Nowi, flew far above her, watching carefully to where she could provide air support, eventually, pairing off from Panne to cover Frederick.

"How are things looking Tharja? I've still got a few bowmen pointed at Sully down there!" Robin asked.

Tharja, who had her back pressed right up against Robin's, kept her focus, blowing away charging Wyvern Riders with her Flux tome. "It's not that much prettier on my end..." she scoffed.

Regardless of how fewer Gangrel's army there was before this battle started, the loyalists were not going to roll over and let the Shepherds claim victory. It showed as they rushed with all they had. Despite this, though, Robin's tactical mind and near-flawless formation of the team kept their movement low. Olivia even showed her use, with her exotic dances that instantly gave anyone who watched a second wind to fight even harder than before.

In due time, Gangrel's numbers were dwindling down to single digits. With his entire army practically finished, Gangrel took this insult no longer and stepped forward to challenge Chrom, brandishing a Levin Sword which he brought just for such a battle.

Sumia swooped down on her stead and let Chrom dismount. Although Sumia wished to stay with him, Chrom knew this was a battle he had to fight alone. Chrom faced Gangrel, who showed no signs of backing away, instead, his face was plastered with that sadistic smile, the same one he had when he saw Emmeryn fall to her death. He held his Levin Sword with care, feeling the sharp and curving edges of the blade.

"Ahh, what an honor! To snuff out the Ylissean family in it's entirety! You know, you truly are a fool for coming here. Had you stayed tucked away in your little castle, you would have a few more decades of life to live. But now, you're life, and bloodline ends, all in one fell swoop! Come, princeling! I've sharpened my sword, just for you!" he shouted, pointing his Levin Sword skyward.

Chrom sighed. There truly was no convincing Gangrel to step down.

"Gangrel... I pity you. You fight for revenge and nothing else, caring little about who gets hurt. I will admit though, I know your pain. Just as my kin had harmed you, you have done the same, and so I too, fell victim to bloodlust. You claim that we are the same, but I have something you don't: I have family and friends who are willing to stand behind me, and pull me back to the light when I've been consumed by darkness. You have no such luxury, and for that, I pity you. My sister wished for our people to know peace, Gangrel. But as long as you draw breath, it can never come. For Ylisse!"

With these last exchange of words, Chrom and Gangrel rushed at each other, their swords flying for each other's throats.

All fighting paused on the battlefield. Everyone from Panne to Robin, and on Gangrel's side, everyone from the last archer to the last mage. All stopped in their tracks and watched on as Gangrel and Chrom had their final duel.

Normally, a battlefield would be filled with the sound of shouting and the thud of bodies on the ground. Now, it was silence, broken up only by the clang of steel. The Mad King and the would-be King fought fiercely. One never getting ahead of the other. The two seemed to be at a stalemate. The battle continued, culminating in a final cross between the two. Due to the curved edges of Gangrel's Levin Sword, Chrom was able to take advantage and use them as leverage for Falchion. Using brute strength, Chrom swisted his blade, and forced Gangrel's weapon to the ground. Just as the Mad King attempted to dive and reach for his weapon, he was struck in his chest, dead center.

Time froze. Everyone watched, eyes wide and mouth agape as Gangrel was impaled, so deeply, Falchion tore through the back of Gangrel's cape. After another long silence, Gangrel choked out his final words.

"Geugh... To hell with... all of it... You... F-Fool of a prince..." Gangrel's eyes stared up at Chrom's, a look of pure anger, unbridled fury, sadness, regret, and even fear could be seen. "Your people care not for you... You... are alone..." He hacked a bloody cough on the steel of Falchion. "As every man lives and dies: ...alone..."

Chrom slid his weapon out of Gangrel's chest, who wobbled backwards and fell to the ground, dead.

Chrom stood there, watching over Gangrel's body as it bled into the sand. It was over. After all of the blood, sweat, tears and sacrifices, it was finally over. Every soldier who was in Gangrel's service dropped their weapons. From silence to the clatter and thunk of bows and swords dropping to the ground, every enemy had laid down their weapon and slowly backed away from the battlefield, running off in every which way. Some to areas unknown, others to different branches of the army that the Kahns were currently watching over. No matter who ran where, it was clear that the fighting was done.

* * *

In a set of abandoned barracks settled in the desert, Chrom had finished discussing reparations with the two Kahns of Regna Ferox. After Sumia swooped in riding on her Pegasus, Robin, the Kahns and Lissa thought it best if they gave them some alone time.

Victory was was quite bittersweet. Robin knew, deep in his heart, that this victory would lead to peace in the realm for a long time to come. He only wished that so many lives were not sacrificed in peace's name. He never regretted his choice though. He only hoped that those who gave up their lives and their families would find solace in knowing the man that lead to their undoing joined the ranks of the dead as well.

The Shepherds stood about the bloody battlefield waiting for any good word. Nowi paced back and forth waiting for Chrom or Robin to give any good news. After a while, she fished around in the convoy and found Robin's book. She flipped through the pages, reading up on the various tactics Robin often used. While being absorbed in the book, she was unaware of her surroundings and bumped into Tharja's backside.

Nowi excused herself, not noticing how far she strayed away from the other Shepherds. Typical that Tharja would be found away from the group. Tharja thought nothing of it, though, knowing that the Manakete was prone to being scatterbrained at times.

"Is there something you want? Or did you wander out here for solitude like me?" she asked coldly, opening one of her dark tomes and scribbling some incantations inside.

Nowi closed the book she was reading. "No. I just wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Sorry... Oh! Tharja, did my toenails help in that fortune telling business you were talking about?" she asked.

Tharja's heart beat against her chest. She closed the book she was scribbling in as well. "Actually. They did. And I saw into my future with Robin... And I'm please to say that he'll be very happy. Eh hee hee hee~" she giggled.

Nowi scratched her head. She wasn't quite sure if Tharja meant that Robin would have a happy future... or if Tharja's future with Robin was happy. Either way, it was nice to know her best friend would have a nice life.

"Well that's great! He deserves to be happy after all the work he does. So, now that you got through with your fortune deal, can you look into where my parents are, like you promised?" she smiled, her eyes wide in anticipation.

Tharja's demeanor changed from then on. "I've already done that. I looked into your parents whereabouts and..."

Nowi gripped the book tightly and bounced up and down. "Aaaaaand!?"

"You're parents... Are okay. They're safe and... they worry about you every single day and really want to see you again." she said. Turning her back to Nowi.

"Awesome! So? Where are they?"

"They're... They're far away. _Very _far away. Far enough that you won't be able to reach them, Nowi..." Tharja bowed her head and her voice began to degrade from her usually gruff voice to a quiet and sheltered one.

Nowi just smirked. "Pah! Nothing's to far for me! If they're beyond he sea, then I'll just fly to 'em! Or, if they're in the deepest forest, I can walk to 'em! I've got plenty of time. I AM a Manakete remember?"

Tharja exhaled. She tried to hide the truth from Nowi, and she didn't want to tell her what really became of her parents. How could she? Tharja didn't know very much about her parents, and that suited her just fine. But someone as sensitive as Nowi was a whole different beast.

"Nowi... Even an eternity would not be enough to find them... Not where they are..."

Nowi raised an eyebrow at that. If she could fly to the farthest corners of the world, and had the time to do it, then how can an eternity NOT be enough time? She walked to Tharja's front and tried to look into her eyes. Unfortunately, she couldn't due to Tharja's bangs obscuring her face... a gesture she only took when she was distressed.

"Tharja, are you hiding something for me?" she asked.

No response.

Nowi huffed in frustration. Were her parents hurt? Maybe Tharja's fortune telling wasn't so accurate? Whatever it was, Nowi wanted to know."Tharja, just tell me the truth. I know I don't look like it, but I am a grown woman. So c'mon. Out with it." she demanded.

Tharja knew that Nowi was right. Nowi was a grown woman. She has been on this earth longer than most have been alive. Surely she could deal with the news. "Nowi... I couldn't find your parents, so that means that..." her voice trailed off again.

"OH! I see! It means that they're so far away that you simply CAN'T find them! Like, maybe they're in some new land that we've never seen before, right?" she asked with hopeful enthusiasm.

Tharja exhaled again, out of relief this time. "Well, that's one way of putting it, I suppose..." Technically, she wasn't lying to her... Was she?

Nowi puffed out her cheeks. "Aw, darn. I guess that means it'll be a while before I see 'em again, huh? Well, that's okay. You said they're safe and sound, so that's enough for me! Thanks anyways Tharja, you're the best!" she chirped. Nowi trotted off to join the rest of the Shepherds.

"You're welcome." Tharja said, as Nowi left. _'Huh? 'You're welcome?' When do I ever say that to people...?'_

* * *

Robin and Lissa walked to the Shepherds. Everyone perked up to see the princess and tactician approach. No one said anything or asked, only waited. Lissa looked up to Robin, mentally telling him that he should have the honors of informing them.

Robin breathed in and stood straight, in the same way Maribelle had taught him to.

"Everyone, Chrom and the Kahns have just finished meeting. And, I'm here to tell you all that..." Robin hesitated, looking from left to right, taking in everyone's hopeful expression.

"The opposing forces have laid down their weapons and arms for good. We did it everyone. We've won." he said, in a calm manner, though not hiding a proud smile.

The Shepherds threw their arms up and cheered wildly. Some with tears of joy in there eyes, others embracing loved ones that they grew attached to during the war, and of course, Tharja stood away from the others, but if one looked closely, one could say she smiled.

In the barracks, Chrom walked out with Sumia wrapped under his arm, who was now wearing Chrom's commemorative ring, having just been newly engaged. The two looked down on their fellow brothers and sisters in arms and smiled. Through all the fighting and pain, finally seeing peace return to their land, and the uncontainable joy that was shown that day made this bitter victory just a little bit sweet.

"Do you think they'll react the same way when we tell them the news, Cap- er, Chrom?" Sumia asked, looking at her new ring.

"Maybe. A royal couple pales in comparison to the promise of many years of peace, but I'm sure they will be glad to know, all the same, my love." Chrom said, his face blushing.

"Chrom? Are you blushing? You? The strong-willed captain of the Shepherds and prince of Ylisse is blushing?" Sumia teased, tracing a finger around his cheeks.

"Of course not!" he said, looking away. "It's just this damned desert sun... We'd best head for home then..."

The coupled chuckled to each other and walked to join their friends, eager to start their lives together.

* * *

**A/N: Hah! Finally got this chapter finished! This took longer than it was supposed to due to a combination of writers block and work. I had planned to have it up by last Saturday, but fate has a way of messing with you. But, I think I'll be back on track! **

**As always, thanks to all the people who read this story. It means a lot. Look forward to the next few chapters covering the two years of peace within Ylisse. **


	9. Interlude 1

**A/N: Now we have some chapters following the 2-year time gap. I'm planning on making at 4 chapters of this, refereed to as "interludes" as they are outside the main story. Warning: MAY contain some fluff between characters. **

* * *

**Interlude 1**

3 weeks had passed since the battle for Ylisse. Everyone who joined the Shepherds had stayed for a while in Ylisstol for the upcoming nuptials between Chrom and Sumia. Everyone had found lodging with other friends or renting rooms at the many inns located around Ylisstol. Luckily, the rent was free until the end of the wedding, by the graces of Chrom and Lissa. The streets of the city were filled with the usual passerby and merchants speaking and exchanging goods and stories. Peace had truly and finally returned to the realm.

Robin made daily visits to the palace to meet with Chrom and Lissa, and thankfully he was welcomed every time. Along with the names of everyone in the Shepherds, Robin's name had been whispered through the grapevines and he had become a local celebrity for the people of Ylisstol. People spoke embellished stories of how he was a mysterious traveler who arrived from the mists of Valm to wreak retribution upon Plegia. Some stories, even placing him as the Angel of Death himself, for his snow-white hair, black cloak and how no one under his watch had died, even though death was a guarantee in a war. Despite all of these stories, Robin did his best to repel such stories, always speaking with anyone who asked him and telling that he was just an ordinary man. Needless to say, it did not work very much, especially with him mentioning his amnesia. But, no harm came from such stories, and everyone was happy for Robin helping Chrom lead them into a time of peace.

Robin stepped through the large halls of Palace Ylisstol, looking to his left and right. He never got used to this place, no matter how many times he walked inside. He enjoyed recollecting old memories from the past. How he first saw Emmeryn, meeting the Shepherds, his shock when he found out that Marth was a woman. All of those memories were nice to relive instead of the blood and pain they went through. He sighed retrospectively as he walked up the steps that lead to the grand hall.

Chrom was busy walking here and there, throughout the castle with Sumia, planning their wedding which would take place in less than a week. The grand hall would serve as the chapel, with pews lining either side of the posh red carpet that draped down the center of the room, and the reception would be held in the dance hall. Sumia was busy with some of the palace maids with setting up many wreathes of flowers about, while fighting the urge to use some for her flower fortunes to see how her future with Chrom would be. The plants were rare enough as they were. It certainly wouldn't help if Sumia were shredding them to bits.

Robin walked into the grand hall, ducking under a banner that two maids were stretching out.

"Good day, Sir Robin." chirped one of the maids. "Lord Chrom should be in his quarters at the moment, and lady Sumia is currently helping with decorations."

"Thank you, milady. I'll be meeting with Chrom as I always do, but please, don't hesitate to ask me for assistance." he offered.

"Oh, certainly, sir. But worry not, it is a maid's duty to work her hardest without assistance, though I do appreciate your offer. Now please, be off and speak with Chrom to your heart's content."

Robin bowed and continued walking through the busy hall and entered the door to the far back, up the steps. He walked around the winding halls until he came across Chrom's room, which was marked by a blue variant of the Mark of the Exalt on his door, while Lissa's room, which was on the opposite side of the hall, was pink. He knocked on the door three times, and signaled that it was him who had come to visit, as always.

"Let him in, please." Chrom said.

Two maids opened the large wooden double doors to let Robin in. Robin thanked them and walked inside, to see Chrom, standing on a small podium, with his arms outstretched, wearing the top and bottom of a black suit that he would be wearing for his wedding. Many maids were surrounding Chrom with pins and needles, stitching and sewing many areas of the suit to fit his body.

"Good morning, Chrom. How are the wedding preparations going?" he asked, holding back a laugh, seeing Chrom's obvious frustration at keeping the ridiculous pose.

"Well, nothing has been broken or caught on fire, so I think we can safely say things are going well." he chuckled. "Oh, um... I'm sorry to ask, but could you scratch my nose...?" he asked.

Robin smirked, and stepped forward giving a small scratch to the tip of Chrom's nose.

"Ah, thank Naga, that feels better." he sighed

"So, I assume Sumia will be fitted for her dress soon too?" Robin asked

"Just about. This is actually my third day doing this, and my arms are exhausted..."

"So, your arms are exhausted from holding them out, yet you never tire of swinging Falchion with full-force, and smashing training dummies on a regular basis?" Robin chuckled.

"Ha ha. You just try it see if I'll be sympathetic when your arms tire out..."

The two men laughed at their japes and spoke about the guest list and what sort of wine should be served. Chrom, for the most part was clueless on which wine was better than another, as he was never one to drink. Robin recommended some vintage bottles he saw in town, claiming an old saying that wine was best the older it was.

"Heh, it seems you've got a tactical mind even when _off _the battlefield!" Chrom stated.

"Believe me, I'd rather help plan a wedding than another assault on Plegian soil." Robin shot back.

The maids had finished sewing on the black jacket on Chrom's person, and separated themselves. "How does it feel, milord? It's not to tight around th shoulders, is it?" One of the maids asked.

Chrom bent his arms in all directions and adjusted the color on the white shirt underneath. One of the maids carried in a full-body mirror in front of Chrom for him to see. Chrom looked into the mirror and turned to his sides, seeing the suit fit over his entire body and smoothed his navy-blue hair out.

"I think it's perfect. Thank you everyone. Now, if you could dedicate your time to Sumia and the... -ahem- _'other' _garment, that would be greatly appreciated." he said, peeking at Robin from the corner of his eye.

Robin looked puzzled. What other garment would Chrom need for a wedding. Before he could ask, a maid tapped onto Robin's left shoulder.

"I beg your pardon, Sir Robin, but would you please come with me?" she asked. Robin looked to Chrom, who just smiled and nodded to go with her.

Without saying a word, Robin, as well as the entire group of maids followed him out of Chrom's room. Most of the of maids went to the dance hall, possibly to go and help Sumia with her wedding dress, while only two stuck with Robin and took him to a room that stretched around the main hall of the palace to a room with many wardrobe closets.

"Milord, if you could hold your arms out please?" one of the maids kindly asked. Robin stood in the center of the room and held his arms out to either side of him, in the same fashion that Chrom had before. Both maids grabbed strips of white plastic and draped it around many areas of Robin's body. From his arms, to his back, neck, stomach, chest, and even legs, while they periodically wrote down whatever measurments they had.

"Tell us, Sir Robin, where did you happen upon this fine garment?" one of the maids asked. "The fabric seems to be made of the lightest of cotton fibers, yet it's woven so well and seems quite sturdy. And the luxurious golden thread that lines the shoulders is rare indeed." Both maids inspected every area of Robin's cloak. From the silken insides to the soft outside.

"Well, I wish I could tell you. It just happened to be what I was wearing when Chrom found me lying in the fields." he responded.

"A pity. Thank you for your time, Sir Robin. We have all we need." One of the maids escorted him outside the wardrobe while another stayed inside and looked through many fabrics and clothes.

The maid that escorted Robin eyed him funny, as if she was waiting for Robin to peel his face back to reveal some sort of being under a mask. Robin noticed the hole she was glaring on the side of his head and looked back at her. "Is there something on my face, madam?" he asked.

The maid snapped out of her starring. "Oh, pardon me, sir. 'Twas impolite to stare the way I did... It's just, I've heard so many stories of you, and I know you've visited the palace many times, yet this is the first time I've seen you and the stories I've heard... Well, I expected someone more... _grand _would be a way to put it." she blushed.

Robin couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, I see. You were expecting someone who helped lead Chrom to glory to be more intimidating and awe-inspiring, right?" he smiled.

"Well... you are certainly a lot shorter than I had first envisioned. I never expected someone so humble in appearance." the maid blushed once again. After leading Robin to Chrom's chambers, she excused herself.

"You certainly seem to be getting a lot of fans these days, friend." Chrom snarked. He had changed from his suit to his usual navy blue tunic, barring the cape and gloves.

"It's funny, isn't it? Just a few months ago, I was lying face down in the dirt, and now I'm known as a Grim Reaper of justice. I wonder if I was so popular before I lost my memories...?" he asked. "Oh, by the way Chrom, what did you maids need me for anyway? They seemed like they were going to make an outfit for me as well, but nothing like how you were treated just moments ago."

"Ah, well, that's a secret. You'll find out what it is after the wedding." Chrom said slyly.

* * *

While Robin was in the palace helping out with the royal wedding, the local pub was abuzz with activity. Gregor had used a portion of his stipend from the war, which Robin so generously promised him, to buy everyone a mug of mead. The Shepherds all gathered and swapped stories with other soldiers and citizens about their journey. Stories about how vicious it was against Plegian barbarians, or their stand at Plegia Castle. Stories about how some of the Shepherds had fallen in love during battle, specifically, how Frederick had fallen in love with Cordelia, or how Stahl and Sully got together. Some were quite humorous, such as how Miriel grew fond of some fellow who she claimed can disappear at will. People starred at her in disbelief but Miriel was never one to joke so people took her story at face value.

Even though there weren't many stories of love, romance was definitely blooming elsewhere. For instance, Lissa and Ricken had grown very close. Although Ricken was a year or two below Lissa, he still had some feelings for her. And every now and again, Virion could be seen around Tharja, trying and failing on many occasions to court her. Even though Tharja was visibly annoyed, and it was no secret to anyone that her heart was set on Robin, she did like to hex Virion into doing slave work. Some guessed that was probably her way of saying she liked him secretly? You never could expect normal behavior from Tharja. Meanwhile, other burgeoning relationships such as Panne and her fascination with Vaike and Gregor, who was spending quite a bit of time with Olivia, were also a subject of conversation.

Towards the back of the pub sat Nowi and Maribelle, who have developed a strong friendship after the war. Whether it was because of their equal fascination with Robin, or their genuine enjoyment of each others' company, their friendship was strong regardless. Nowi poked at the mug of amber-colored liquid that foamed to the top of the glass.

"Hey, Maribelle, what's the stuff called again?" she asked, nearly pressing her face against the mug, fascinated with the bubbles that floated to the top.

"It's called mead. A lowborn beverage. Personally, I prefer the taste of tea over this, but it is widely popular around Regna Ferox. I know the West-Kahn can never get enough of it." she said, sipping a cup of the pub's finest tea. "Do be careful when ingesting that drink, Nowi. You don't want to get tipsy and wake up in the middle of the street."

"Don't worry. I know all about alcohol, I just didn't know what this one was. Even Manaketes drink the stuff, but we don't get drunk as easily as humans do. Watch!" Nowi grabbed the glass, placed it against her lips and tilted her head back. Nowi gulped down the drink quite fast. Some of the other patrons looked at Nowi, watching her drink without even taking a breather! After she finished, she slammed the mug down and sighed contently. She wiped her mouth of foam and looked at Maribelle, who was speechless, eyes wide. "See? Totally sober!"

The other patrons were still speechless. Even if Nowi was a grown-woman, a body like hers handling a full mug of mead was surprising in it's own right. Nowi looked back at everyone else. The constant starring was starting to freak her out.

"What...?" she asked.

* * *

As the evening went on, everyone eventually left the pub, wishing each other well. Nowi left with Maribelle, as the latter had offered for Nowi to stay with her in her manor until the wedding ceremony was over. Since Themis was a bit of a trek, Nowi always offered to use her Dragonstone and fly Maribelle over to her home, which she accepted. After all, riding on the back of a dragon was no different than riding on a Pegasus.

The two flew over the city of Ylisstol and into the small town of Themis, whereupon Nowi descended onto the front steps of Maribelle's manor, and reverted back to her human form in a shower of pink rose petals. The two stepped inside and freshened up for bed.

The guest room was located in a different wing in the manor, but Maribelle opted to have Nowi stay in a room close to hers. Rooms reserved only for special guests. Maribelle's father, the Duke of Themis was originally against letting commoners in that area of the home but changed his mind when Maribelle convinced him that Nowi was a valued member of the Shepherds. After all that business was settled the girls retired Maribelle's room, chatting about the times to come. All the while, Nowi was reading through her copy of _Swords, Axes, and Lances. _

"So, I said, 'There should be laws that are fair on both commoners and noblemen alike!' and he looked at me as if I were a madwoman! Can you believe it?" Maribelle asked, while she was brushing her hair. She always made a habit of brushing her swirling pigtails straight before bed.

Nowi was engrossed in her book, sitting at the edge of Maribelle's bed, but she was paying attention.

"I think that's nice of you. And it's true; why should people who are on a higher class get treated special just because they have money or some fancy title?" she asked, turning a page. "When you think about it, it kinda makes you wonder how no one is doing a thing about it right now, huh?"

"Precisely! It's as if nobles of today's society only care for law enforcement if it is in their favor. Naga forbid they stand behind them if a fellow nobleman or noblewoman cause a misdeed." Maribelle huffed as she aggressively brushed her hair with more force than necessary. "And do you know what the irony is? It seems only commoners and lowborn see this method of thinking while nobles only scoff at it. I mean, really! It gives nobles a bad name!"

"It's a good thing you're studying to be a magistrate then. Maybe you can set things straight and keep balance with both social classes. It's kinda like how Robin always studied books so that he could end that war we just went through so there wouldn't be anymore fighting." Nowi giggled, when she remembered all the books that Robin always had his nose buried in. "Ooh! Maybe you can ask him for help? Both of you seem good with books!"

Maribelle put her brush down on her dresser top and plucked the bows out of her hair, letting it fall down to her waist. "Speaking of books, dear, what are you reading?" she asked, grabbing her pink nightgown from behind her and changing behind a dressing screen.

Nowi turned another page, her nose still buried in the book. "It's a book on basic battle strategies that Robin gave me just before we beat Plegia in the war. He said to hold onto it as a symbol of our friendship, and so I would always remember him when the war ended."

Maribelle stepped out from behind the dressing screen, now in her nightgown. "My, my. Robin gave that to you? I've never seen him part with a book on strategies before... or a book in general!" she said, looking at the binding. It was one of the books she often saw him thumbing through in the mess tent or while he was walking through camp. It was actually the very book he was reading when she first approached him and was fascinated that the lowborn read.

"Well, he said he had this whole thing memorized from front to back, so he probably doesn't need it anymore." she said. "I'm already up to chapter 5 on this. _'Strength In Numbers: Keeping Units Close'._ Huh... No wonder he always had us pair up during fights..." Nowi dog-eared the page and closed the book. "I think that's enough for the day." she said, kicking off her purple boots.

Maribelle sat down next to Nowi and picked up the book. She turned the pages, skimming passages and some footnotes scribbled in. "Even if he did have this book memorized, I doubt he would let anyone walk off with it. Much less give it to them. For all we know, Robin just might find you to be special just as you do with him, Nowi." she said.

Nowi leaned forward and rested her head on her hands. "If this is more about love, Maribelle, I'm still not very sure. I did think about it at one point... and maybe you're right, maybe I am in love with Robin. But, I don't know if I'm really ready to accept that just yet y'know? I feel like I need to really be certain about it. Who knows? Maybe I do love him and I'm just not at that point yet..." she sighed.

Maribelle put the book down and patted Nowi's back. "This isn't just about your feelings, is it Nowi?" she asked.

Nowi put her hands over her face, concealing it.

"No..."

"It's not that you're unsure about yourself, you're not sure if Robin feels this way about you."

"Yes... Maybe? I don't know. Love's confusing..."

Maribelle scooted closer to Nowi and hugged her. Sometimes, with the way Nowi had started going to her for advice, she seemed like a little sister to her... even though she clocked in at over 1,000 years of age.

Even though she kept quiet. Maribelle felt the exact same way that Nowi felt. She had feelings in her heart for Robin too, but didn't act on them, and it seems like Robin might be gravitating towards Nowi, who had feelings for him too, but also did not act. Both were in a predicament; they wanted the same thing, but only one could have it, and one had the advantage of knowing the other wanted it.

"You are so right, Nowi. Love is confusing... It truly is..."

* * *

**A/N: Oh boy. Writing a love triangle is not easy, folks. This story sure turned into a bigger beast than what I had planned. Although, I think it's for the better. Expect more from Robin's POV next chapter. **


	10. Interlude 2

**A/N: AUGH! A storm flew over my area and knocked out my power, right after I finished the chapter and tried to upload it! It caused the whole thing to be deleted, so NOW I have to start over again... I honestly can't even remember what I was gonna put in this Author's Note... Oh well. It's not like anyone reads these. Oh yeah! A slight fluff warning ahead. **

* * *

**Interlude 2**

The days flew by and soon it was only two days until Prince Chrom would be wed to Sumia and both would become the new rulers of Ylisse. The wedding was all anyone could talk about in the passing days. The people could not be more excited for their beloved Prince Chrom to wed and have Sumia as his wife. Sumia was already a well-known person among many people in Ylisstol for her kindness and her endearing clumsiness. Everyone agreed that such a kind woman would make a fine bride, and were even more elated that Chrom chose a woman he loved, rather than accept a female suitor as most other noblemen did.

Above the skies of Ylisstol, Nowi flew through the clouds and made for a landing in the town square with Maribelle in tow. Weeks prior, when she began doing this, the townsfolk would panic and scatter around the city, but now, they accept it as part of their everyday lives. Some even actually greeting the two upon landing. Nowi was especially popular with the children of Ylisstol, often playing with them and giving them Dragon-back rides.

Today, though was a day of business. Maribelle had come to Ylisstol to help with the wedding, and served as Sumia's bridesmaid. She unfurled her parasol and held it daintily over her shoulder as her and Nowi walked up the town's cobblestone road to the palace.

"I can't wait for the wedding! I bet everyone'll be there!" Nowi exclaimed.

"Indeed. It's been far too long since I've attended a celebration. And what better celebration to attend than a royal wedding of all things?" Maribelle said, twirling her parasol over her shoulder.

"I'm so happy for Chrom and Sumia. They both looked happy while we were fighting in the war. You think they'll have a happy marriage?" Nowi asked.

"I'm sure they will, dear. Those two were practically inseparable. And I'm sure the cerimony will be absolutely gorgeous... that is, provided Sumia does not trip over her own feet and fall face-first into the wedding cake." Maribelle said. As much as she liked Sumia, the image of something like that flashed repeatedly over and over in her head. She couldn't help but smile a tiny bit whenever she thought about it.

Nowi, however snickered audibly from the very mention of it. "I sure hope that doesn't happen. That would be a pretty awkward story to tell their kids one day."

"Too true. But, we must keep our minds focused on the good and not the bad! We would never want such a tragedy to befall them on their special day. Besides, Sumia would never think of such things upon us, come our wedding days."

"That is, assuming we GET married someday."

"Never say never, Nowi!" Maribelled winked.

* * *

"One. Two. Three. One. Two. Three. One. Two. Three." Robin instructed. In the palace, Robin was with Sumia in her private quarters, giving her dance lessons for her upcoming wedding. In truth, he had been helping her right after her dress was completed two days ago. She was showing steady improvement. On their first day of practice, Sumia stepped on Robin's feet so much that he had taken to wearing steel-toed boots whenever they danced.

"Excellent job, Sumia! You've hardly stepped on my feet at all today!" he praised. "Now, remember, you keep your hands on your dance partner's shoulder while they have their hands on you, just above the waist." he said.

Sumia followed Robin as he lead her through the movements. "I remember. Move with your partner and stay in tune with the music." she said.

"And don't stare down at your feet." Robin added,

Sumia picked her head up, as she spent a lot of their practice time looked down, trying not to step on Robin's feet this time. "Oh, sorry. I just get nervous when I dance. I don't want to step on Chrom's feet and have him be in pain..." she admitted.

"Don't worry. As long as you move with your partner correctly, you shouldn't need to worry at all. Remember, you've not stepped on my feet once today, so you're doing fine." he reassured.

Sumia smiled at how well Robin was instructing her. A master tactician, magic-wielder, and a capable dancer? Robin was certainly a triple threat.

"You're something else, Robin. Not only are you excellent with a sword, but you're great on your feet too! I tell you, if Chrom had eyes on another woman, you mighth ave been my next choice!" she blushed. "Tell me, how do you do it?" she asked.

Robin smiled and starred off to the side in modesty. "Well, first of all, don't ever let Chrom hear what you just said. I'd like to be alive for a few more decade if you don't mind. Second, I can't take all the credit. I learned how to dance by taking 'gentlemen lessons' from Maribelle during my free time."

"Well, it's not like I took her lesson of my own volition. She sort of talked me into it... Well, _talked _wouldn't be the proper word. ...I believe _'tricked' _is the right word. It was kind of her method of payback after a small incident we had." he said.

Sumia giggled. "Aww, poor Robin! Being wrapped around the finger of a fair maiden! You know, Maribelle never offers lessons like that to people. Why would she offer such a service to you? If I didn't know any better, I'd say Maribelle has a thing for you, Robin!" she said.

Robin thought for a second. It's true that Maribelle did show a particular interest in him. Even though she would tease him with the title of 'intimate friends', she did take it to heart at times. Such as inviting him to tea or the aforementioned lessons. "You think so?" he finally asked.

Sumia nodded. "Maybe. But what about _you _Robin? Do you have any feelings for Maribelle? Or was there some other woman in the Shepherds that you liked?" she asked.

Robin barely had to think for an answer. If there was a woman in the army that made him feel for her, it was Nowi. Though Robin still wasn't sure what it was that drew him to her, he did like spending time with her. Even though he did enjoy Maribelle's company, he just felt an inner peace when he was with Nowi, just like the first time they embraced in Regna Ferox.

A small blush was spreading across Robin's face. "Well... There is another woman in the Shepherds... err... former Shepherds, that I do have feelings for..." he admitted.

Sumia's eyes widened. "Ooh! Scandalous! One who's heart pines fore another while another pines for them! So romantic~!" she sighed. "It's just like one of my favorite tragic-romance novels, _The Sword, The Axe, and The Lance!_ I love that story! Have you heard of it?"

Robin raised an eyebrow at the title of the book. Surely Sumia didn't mean the same book he was thinking of. "Err... I'm sorry, what was it again?" he asked.

"I guess that's a 'no' then." she responded. "Well then, _The Sword, The Axe, and The Lance_ is a tragic romance story. The 'sword' is a sharp tongued princess who falls in love with the 'axe' of the story a broadminded and handsome nobleman. The 'lance' of the story is an ordinary village girl who appears in town almost out of nowhere and captures the heart of the nobleman without being aware of the princesses feelings for him. It really is a romantic story~." she sighed again.

Robin's interest in the story was piqued. The situation seemed scarily accurate... for the most part at least.

"So, how does the story end? Does the axe choose the sword, or the lance?" he asked.

Sumia's blissful expression descended into one of sadness. "Well, that's the tragic part of the story. The princess grew extremely jealous of the village girl because she could not be with the nobleman. So in the dead of night, she sneaks into the village girl's house and kills her in her sleep. With her gone, the princess figured she could move in and capture the nobleman's heart unrivaled, but the nobleman was stricken with such grief over losing his one true love that he ended his own life. In the end, the princess lived a life alone and unhappy, and drove her kingdom into the ground..."

Robin's left eye twitched at the rapid tailspin the story took. "Gee, that, uh... that seems pretty dark. I never expected THAT kind of tragedy... How can something with such an ending be one of your favorite books?" he asked.

"It's mostly the way the characters are portrayed. The author did a really good job of rounding them out, so they feel like real people. And even though the ending is sad, it does satisfy you when it wraps up." she said.

"Is the story really that good? With an ending like the one you told me, I can scarce imagine something like that satisfying anyone..."

"Oh yes! Very much so. In fact, the library in the palace has a first edition copy of the book. You should read it for yourself. I guarantee you'll like it, Robin."

Robin thought for a moment. Sumia did have a penchant for good literature at times. He still remembers when he first read _Wyvern Wars: Terror at High Noon. _The many terrors told throughout, and the encounter at high noon towards the story's climax really surprised and entertained him, and he was never one for reading fiction to begin with.

"Hmm. Sure, why not? I haven't read a book you offered that fails to entertain me thus far." he smiled. "Alright, now let's get back to dancing. For this next one, you take my left hand in your right, and put your other hand on my upper back, and I'll do the same. Okay, ready?"

* * *

The rest of the day carried on with Robin concluding his dance lessons with Sumia. Meanwhile, in other parts of the palace, the area that would be the chapel was nearly finished. Maribelle helped with coordination while Nowi participated by helping the maids carry banners and decorations that may have been out of their reach. Since the palaces inner walls were spacious enough to accommodate her Dragon form, Nowi took to using her wings and hanging decor in higher areas.

Maribelle and Chrom went down the check list for everything that was needed. THe guest list was arranged, beverages and the menu were written up and set, and with Nowi's help, the dance hall and grand hall were decorated in half the time it would normally take. Chrom's suit was hanging neatly in his wardrobe, and Sumia's wedding dress was perfectly sized and gorgeous, all ready for tomorrow. At long last everything was ready for the wedding and Chrom could finally relax.

With the preparations finally complete, Maribelle and Nowi decided that it was time to head back home to Themis. The sun was beginning to set and everyone was more than tired from the activities that took place. Sumia had packed away her dress, as it was considered bad luck for the groom to see it before the wedding, and sent it off with Maribelle to stay with her for the next day until the wedding day. The girls waved good-bye as Nowi flew up and away from the town square as Robin and Chrom waved good-bye to them also.

Robin watched Nowi's golden shine streak across the orange sky like a shooting star and couldn't help but think how majestic her Dragon form was. As she began to disappear into the skies, Robin turned and looked to Chrom.

"Hey, Chrom? Can I ask you a question?" he said.

Chrom patted his shoulder and walked back to the palace. "Sure. Come and tell me what's on your mind while we walk." he said.

Robin started after him and pressed his fingers together. "Chrom... You know that I'm an amnesiac and I don't have memories of my previous life. Sometimes, I wonder, what if I had someone who I loved, and someone who loved me before whatever happened to me, took place?"

Chrom had the look of a skeptic, it wasn't like Robin to reflect on his previous life. "Is that your question...?"

"No no. That's not it. It leads into it though. My real question is, what does it feel like... to be in love?" he finally asked.

Chrom was taken aback by the question. Even if Robin lost his memory, he had to know what it felt like. "That's your question?"

"Yes."

"Well... surely you know what it means to be in love, Robin?"

"I know what it means to be in love, Chrom." he huffed. "What I want to know is, how does it feel? What does it feel like when a man loves a woman? What do you feel? What's it like to be in love with Sumia?"  
Chrom stopped walking and scratched the back of his head, staring down at the cobblestone path. He wasn't sure there were words to properly describe the sensation of love, it was a feeling that can only be experienced. Even so, Chrom would surely try. After all, even one who has lost his memories has not lost his common sense or knowledge; Robin was living proof of that.

"Well, love is... It feels... Ah, this is hard to explain..." Chrom squeezed the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb, trying to put a feeling into words. "Alright, I cannot tell you how it is for every person, but for me, the way I feel for Sumia is a feeling of complete happiness and utter joy, no matter what happens around me."

Robin nodded. He knew it wasn't easy to describe a feeling to someone who probably wouldn't know what he was talking about.

"If I could give love my own personal definition, it would be a sample of questions, such as; when you see this person, do you just want to make them happy for the rest of your lives? Or, is this the person who you want to wake up to every morning, and hold close to you every night?"

"I see," Robin said. "And, you feel this way about Sumia?" he asked.

"I do. Every time i look at her, and stare into her gentle eyes, I find myself answering 'yes' to every one of these questions. I would do all I can and more to make her happy. That's what I think love is."

Robin held his arms behind his back and stared skyward. Such a noble answer was befitting of Chrom. He made sure to commit the answer to memory. He wanted to make sure he would remember this if ever he found a woman he loved, or if love was what he felt for Nowi.

"Thanks, Chrom. I really appreciate the answer." Robin said with gratitude.

"It's no trouble at all, friend. But why do you ask? Are you looking for a woman of your own as well?" he asked.

Robin broke eye contact and stared back in the direction Nowi was flying. By now, she was long gone along with Maribelle, so he couldn't see her. "I don't think it's a matter of looking for that woman... I think... I think she may have already found me." he said.

"I see. I won't pry on the subject then, unless you're willing to talk about it." Chrom said.

"Oh, it's not that I don't wish to talk about it, Chrom. You are a good friend to me, and you would be one of the first people I would tell if I found someone. The thing is that, I don't know if I love this woman or not..." Robin held his right hand over his chest. "I know there's a place for her in my heart, she makes me forget about my past and think to my future. She was one of the people who pushed me to end the war we just waged even quicker than anyone else. I know what love is, but I stop and think if I really have fallen in love with her, or if she is just a very special friend. It keeps me up at night, and to a degree... it scares me..." he said.

Chrom was confused by that last statement. Why would someone he spoke so highly of instill fear in him. "It scares you that you might love this woman?" he asked.

"Yes. It scares me because, what if I do love her, Chrom? What if I do love this person, but she doesn't love me back? What then? I go the rest of my life pining for someone who doesn't want me?" Robin's heart was beating against his chest, threatening to burst out. This feeling of bittersweet insecurity filled him. Robin was not one to easily tell others about his own feelings.

It was always the Shepherds he put above his own needs, just like how he sacrificed a lump sum of money just so his friends could live. Everyone would always give thanks for a job well done, but he never sat down and talked about what was on his mind. He had his doubts and fears just like any other person, but why was it hard for him to tell other people his troubles when he had no problem lending an ear?

Robin cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, this is something I should deal with, you don't have to listen to me." he said.

"Don't apologize, Robin. A lot of people go through this. It's perfectly normal. I know you, friend. You give and give, but never ask for much in return. You have many friends to speak with, we all share our problems and our insecurities. It's what makes us friends. The trust we have for each other." Chrom put his arm over Robin's shoulder. "It's why you're my closest friend. You're not just a brilliant mind that carried me to victory, you are a person whose friendship I value among the few things in this world like my family, the Shepherds, and my loved ones."

That was certainly odd. It was as if Chrom had read Robin's mind. He reassured him about his issue with conveying his own inner thoughts as if he heard him think it. "In fact, you telling this person your feelings will only serve to help you in the future. Who knows? You just might be pleasantly surprised by the fact that they may feel you are special to them." he smiled. "Don't wait. You may end up losing them and you may never see them again. Tell them while you have the chance."

Robin's heart rate began to slow down a bit after Chrom reassured him. He was right, when Chrom and Sumia loved each other, they were never afraid to come out and say it, and neither should he. Robin was still uncertain that he loved Nowi, but it was worth a try to let her know about his feelings. He raised his head and looked at Chrom with new resolve.

"You know what? You are absolutely right, Chrom! I shouldn't be afraid to convey my feelings." he said with confidence. "I've made my decision then; after the wedding, I'm going to tell this woman how I feel and hope for the best!" he sad, puffing his chest out.

"That's more like it! You need to confront this first hand! Chrom agreed.

"Alright, even if she doesn't love me, I'll be happy if she just stays my friend, I would rather have her as a close friend."

"I shall root for you, friend. You deserve to be happy after all you've done for Ylisse. Now come, let's return to the palace, you can be a guest of honor for tonight's dinner." he said smiling.

"That sounds great. I'm starving after teaching Sumia proper dance steps." Robin chuckled.  
The two walked up the path to the front doors of the palace. Just before they made for the dining hall, Robin stopped to ask one last question.

"Hey, Chrom?" he asked.

"Hmm?"

"Well, I was recommended a book from the palace library. I was going to go and see if I can borrow it for a while. You go on ahead and I'll meet you there." he said.

"Alright. I'll see you at dinner. Don't be late." he said, waving good-bye as he walked up the steps to the grand hall.

* * *

**A/N: Ugh. Typing this whole thing twice was no fun. Oh well, at least it's done. And you guys can forget a bachelor or bachelorette party. Next chapter is the wedding! Thanks for reading!**

**EDIT: Funny story; ANOTHER storm struck when I finished the story and deleted the story AGAIN! It's like Mother Nature doesn't want this chapter to be uploaded! But I was smart this time and saved the whole thing in a word document! Take THAT, Mother Nature!**


	11. Interlude 3

**Interlude 3**

"Alright. Today's the day, Chrom. Are you nervous?" Robin said, massaging Chrom's shoulders as he stared into a mirror and adjusting his shirt collar. His wedding day had arrived and he was sweating profusely from the pressure. So many people would be attending. So many eyes glued to him and Sumia. He hoped he wouldn't do anything to embarrass himself or his wife-to-be. He kept taking deep breaths to keep his heart rate under control and to keep himself from toppling over.

The two men stood in Chrom's near-empty room as Robin helped prepare Chrom, being his best man. He helped him dress and made sure he had no blemishes on his person. Robin held the scabbard for Falchion with the blade inside of it as Chrom tied his belt on around him and attatched his weapon on his person.

Chrom jostled the belt around his waist for comfort. Even if it was his wedding day, he would always be prepared for whatever happens. On a day like this, anyone could invade and crash the wedding.

"You know, you really don't need to carry Falchion with you. There are guards posted around the entire palace. No one's getting in here alive... if they're not on the guest list at least."

"I can never be too too careful. I just want today to go on without incident..." Chrom said, buttoning up his jacket. Robin backed away as Chrom did one final self-check. No rips. Check. No smudges or dust. Double-Check. No creases. Check.

"Oh, please. Everything is going to be okay. If you keep worrying like this, your heart will give out before you even reach the altar." Robin chuckled.

"Oh Gods... Can that really happen? Great, now my heart is racing even more..." Chrom said, continuing his steady breathing.

"No, Chrom. It was a joke... Look, do I need to get Frederick in here to give you a pep talk? Because I can if I have to..."

Chrom's pupils shrunk upon hearing that. "N-No! I'll be... I'll be alright... I just need a minute more and I'll be ready..." he said.

"Speaking of Frederick, I can't believe you did not ask _him_ to be your best man. He is the Shepherds' lieutenant and your caretaker after all." Robin stated, adjusting his own jacket. He wanted to wear his cloak over the outfit, but was given an earful by Maribelle when she told him how casual wear was inappropriate for such an occasion.

Chrom scoffed at the thought of Frederick being his best man. "Pah. I'd have to be a madman to have Frederick be my best man. He means well, I know, but sometimes Frederick can be a bit... stifling."

"Why would that be? He seems very capable, and, let's be honest, the man wore a suit practically all the time under his armor. He would be able to help you better than simply a meager shoulder massage." Robin explained. He fastened the last of his buttons on his black suit. It felt odd not wearing his cloak. He only took it off to bathe or to sleep. He felt practically naked when it wasn't draped around his shoulders.

"You know very well why that would be. Had he been here, he would probably request a healer if I mentioned my heart rate... Or call upon a maid to bring me dozens of towels for my damp forehead... Or he would offer to sharpen and polish Falchion if he saw me carrying it around." Chrom said, pointing out a finger for every quirk he listed.

"Alright, I get it. You wanted a best man and not a nanny." Robin laughed. "I'm honored all the same, Chrom. I never expected to be offered the opportunity. Thank you."

"You are very welcome." Chrom sighed as he losened up and stretched one last time. "Alright. I'm ready. Let's be off." Robin held the doors to Chrom's room and the two men walked to the alter.

* * *

The grand hall lived up to it's name when it came to the word "grand". The detail in decorative placement almost made it look like an actual chapel, minus the stained glass that was common in the many churches of Ylisse. The two rows of pews were filled completely, with guests ranging from the entirety of the Shepherds, nobles and various family members of those invited. The first few rows were taken up by the Shepherds and the groomsmen, who consisted of Frederick, Stahl, and Vaike stood to the right, where Chrom would be, while Sumia's left was taken by her chosen bridesmaids of Cordelia, Miriel, Maribelle and Olivia, whom she had become fast friends with after the war, partly due to their kindred spirit in their somewhat low self-esteem.

Chrom and Robin entered from the left wing of the palace, and everyone's head turned to see the young Prince and former-tactician stride into the room. Chrom swallowed in nervousness upon seeing the many, many guests attending. Though he had helped with the guest list, actually seeing this many people as opposed to names on paper was vastly different. Ignoring the weakness in his legs, Chrom walked boldly to the front of the altar and took his place in front of Libra, who was fully dressed in robes for the occasion.

Just on the other side of the door that lead into the grand hall stood Sumia, holding a bouquet of white flowers close to her chest. She had a mind to pluck one out of the bunch and do another one of her flower fortunes, but decided against it. The flowers weren't for her to shred anyways. She breathed in deep and closed her eyes as two maids on both sides of her gently opened the large doors, revealing her pressence to everyone in the grand hall.

Everyone looked to the back and slowly stood up from their seats and gazed upon Sumia's beauty. The attention was making her blush madly and she felt her knees weakening, threatening to make her trip on her own dress and humiliate herself in front of everyone. Despite this, she walked calmly and slowly, gazing straight forward, focusing only on Chrom's face, who smiled warmly at his bride. Thankfully, she made it up to the altar without falling, and stood in front of Chrom, gripping the bouquet of flowers tightly, and smiling from eat to ear.

Once Sumia had taken her spot, everyone sat back down and Libra opened a bible that was provided to begin the ceremony, clearing his throat before he began.

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together here in the sign of the Gods – and in the face of this company – to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men; and therefore – is not by any – to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly – but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together – let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

Expectantly, Libra paused and scanned the room for anyone who would object. None said a word and stayed seated, allowing Libra to continue.

"Marriage is the union of husband and wife in heart, body and mind. It is intended for their mutual joy – and for the help and comfort given on another in prosperity and adversity. But more importantly – it is a means through which a stable and loving environment may be attained.

Through marriage, Chrom and Sumia make a commitment together to face their disappointments – embrace their dreams – realize their hopes – and accept each other's failures. Chrom and Sumia will promise one another to aspire to these ideals throughout their lives together – through mutual understanding – openness – and sensitivity to each other.

We are here today – before the Gods – because marriage is one of Their most sacred wishes – to witness the joining in marriage of Chrom and Sumia. This occasion marks the celebration of love and commitment with which this man and this woman begin their life together. And now – through me – They joins you together in one of the holiest bonds.

Who gives this woman in marriage to this man?"

Regrettably, Sumia's parent's were not alive to see her marry; In their stead, her bride's maids spoke with a unanimous and simultaneous "We do."

" This is a beginning and a continuation of their growth as individuals. With mutual care, respect, responsibility and knowledge comes the affirmation of each one's own life happiness, growth and freedom. With respect for individual boundaries comes the freedom to love unconditionally. Within the emotional safety of a loving relationship – the knowledge self-offered one another becomes the fertile soil for continued growth. With care and responsibility towards self and one another comes the potential for full and happy lives.

By gathering together all the wishes of happiness and our fondest hopes for Chrom and Sumia from all present here, we assure them that our hearts are in tune with theirs. These moments are so meaningful to all of us, for what greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined together – to strengthen each other in all labor – to minister to each other in all sorrow – to share with each other in all gladness.

This relationship stands for love, loyalty, honesty and trust, but most of all for friendship. Before they knew love, they were friends, and it was from this seed of friendship that is their destiny. Do not think that you can direct the course of love – for love, if it finds you worthy, shall direct you."

Upon hearing the last sentence in Libra's delivery, Maribelle's heart skipped a beat. She was briefly reminded of Nowi's burgeoning love for Robin conflicting with hers. What if Nowi won Robin's heart in the end? After all this time, he never said a word to her, so she held onto that silence as hope. But what if love did not favor her? What would she do if Robin were whisked away by Nowi and not her? Her mind began racing on what to do, but she tossed her ideas aside. This day wasn't about her, it was about Chrom and Sumia.

"Marriage is an act of faith and a personal commitment as well as a moral and physical union between two people. Marriage has been described as the best and most important relationship that can exist between them. It is the construction of their love and trust into a single growing energy of spiritual life. It is a moral commitment that requires and deserves daily attention. Marriage should be a life long consecration of the ideal of loving kindness – backed with the will to make it last."

Libra closed the book briefly, marking the page with an attached ribbon.

"The couple has written their own vows, which they wish to express now."

Libra stepped back and allowed Chrom to speak. He reached out and held Sumia's hand in his.

"Sumia, you are the woman who, despite my shortcomings, has accepted me for all that I am. You looked passed my royalty, and saw only a man. A man who you deemed worthy to call your own. No amount of royalty, or prestige can surpass such an honor. You have helped me to grow into a better man, and I can only hope, as we begin our lives together, that I can make you happy for the rest of your days."

Sumia held back a tear, as her eyes glassed over by the warmth and sincerity of Chrom's words. She gripped Chrom's hand with the one he had done with hers and looked into his eyes.

"Chrom, in the many years I've known you, I've always thought you were a great man, one who any woman would be lucky to have you. Me being that woman feels like a dream that I never wish to wake from. Although I used to fly on the back of a Pegasus, you make me feel like I'm still in the air, even when I'm on the ground. Your gentleness, charm, dedication, and love is all I wish to share with you, not your royalty, yet I shall do my best to not only be a great wife, but also a queen."

Libra smiled at the honest vows they exchanged and opened his book once again.

"I ask now, if anyone here has the rings that shall bind these two?" he asked.

Robin reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out two small gold bands and handed them to Libra. One was for Chrom to give to Sumia, with the engraving of flowers and a Pegasus wing adorning the center. The other was for Sumia to give to Chrom, with the Mark of Naga centered between an engraving of two dragons; very similar to the ring that was made to commemorate his birth.

Libra handed the couple their rings, and watched as they exchanged them.

"Do you Chrom take Sumia to be your wife – to live together after God's ordinance – in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon her your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her as long as you both shall live?"

Chrom nodded and said, "I do."

"And do you Sumia take Chrom to be your husband – to live together after God's ordinance – in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon him your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him as long as you both shall live?"

Sumia smiled at Chrom and said, "I do."

At this, Libra closed the book and spoke once more. "Then, by the power vested in my by the Royal House of Ylisse, I now pronounce you, Chrom and Sumia, man and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Chrom gently lifted Sumia's veil and the two shared their first kiss as a married couple as everyone in the grand hall stood up, cheering. Yells of praise and claps of congratulations flooded the room. Some people were even beginning to cry with tears of joy, the most prominent of which was Cordelia, who had to cover her face to keep herself from looking like a bawling child.

* * *

After the main ceremony, everyone retired to the dance hall, which had many tables spread about with ample room in the center for the dancing later to come. Towards the back of the hall, overlooking the antire room was a long table that seated the newlyweds and their mgroomsmen and bridesmaids. The entire party, as well as the guests were seated and served and pleasant conversation went about among everyone. A dedicated area of the dance hall, considered a V.I.P. area, was set aside for the Shepherds, who still mingled with the other guests.

Robin sat nervously, fidgeting in his chair and biting his thumb. Being the best man of the groom meant that he had to deliver a speech in honor of the newlyweds, but he had been so busy helping out with things such as coordinating the guest list or helping Sumia to dance, he had completely forgotten to write one. He had read on the custom that the speech was usually short, and had light humor, so nothing he had to stand for more than 3 minutes, but he still mentally kicked himself for not being prepared.

Shortly after the room was filled and everyone took their seats, it was time for the words of honor of the best man, woman and the bride and groom. Luckily, Cordelia had volunteered to have the first word, something Robin would happily let her do while he thought about what to say.

Cordelia stood up and smiled, upon seeing the crowd. "Hello, everyone. Well, contrary to my perfectionist nature, I'm actually not very good at delivering speeches, but I'll do my best. Really, there is not much I can say that already hasn't been said or thought by many of us, I'm sure. Sumia is a very fortunate woman to marry someone like Chrom. Someone so strong, and dashing... and brave... and committed." she swooned, prompting Frederick to cough audibly into his hand which got her mind back together. "-ahem- That is, I'm very happy for her. Sumia and I have been friends since childhood and she's like a little sister to me, so seeing her finally marrying someone who will appreciate her is truly heartwarming. I wish only the best for you two and hope that some day, Frederick, bless his heart, will be able to put up with my perfectionism, and hopefully bless me with a ring as well." she said, blushing bright red before sitting down to a gentle applause.

Robin took a deep breath and cleared his thoughts. There was nothing he could do to make anything up for a speech so he decided to just go for broke on the matter. H adjusted the collar on his dress shirt, and stood up, to an unexpectedly abundant applause from the audience. True, he was a cherished name among the Shepherds, but he never expected such generosity.

"Amazing. I haven't said a word yet and already I have people clapping." he said, chuckling. "Thank you all for the gesture, but today is about Chrom and Sumia, not me. In light of that, I would give a speech... I _would _give a speech, if I had prepared one. Sadly this isn't the case. However, I decided that instead of reading off paper or reciting something I memorized, It would be best for us all if I just said what comes naturally. I'd like to begin with my highest congrats to these two. After all we have been through in the past couple months, I have never seen a pair so deserving of happiness than them. I actually remember the many days in camp these two spent. Nearly inseparable they were. Chrom would share some funny stories about how Sumia would constantly bake him pies whenever she had the chance." Somehow that earned a small chuckle from some of the audience, even from the couple themselves. "It really is something when you get to be a witness of two people's love for each other bloom, even on a battlefield. In truth it's one of the many things that pushed me to end the war we went through."

Many a guest, and practically every Shepherd nodded in agreement. Vaike even agreed, lifting up his glass, and exclaiming "I'll drink to that!" which earned another laugh from the audience, but a bit of a sour look from Panne.

"Heh, not yet Vaike, I'm almost done. Now, I know I said this isn't about me, but there is one last thing I would like to say as my closing statements. I'd like to extend a personal thanks to Chrom. For many things, really; For appointing me as the tactician of his army, for taking me in when I was lost and confused in the world and for just being a great friend overall. I don't know what my life was before my amnesia, but with friends like Chrom, and the Shepherds I doubt I'll miss it very much. So, again Chrom, thank you so much for finding me in that open field. Oh, and thank you too Sumia, for that book you recommended me. It's great!" he said, which prompted a look of 'You're welcome' from her. "May you two live a successful and happy life as the new King and Queen of Ylisse, and may I NEVER have to plan through another war again!" he concluded, by raising his glass of wine. "To Chrom and Sumia!" he declared, receiving a collected "To Chrom and Sumia!" from the crowd.

Yet another applause greeted Robin's ears as he sat down and received many looks of gratitude and smiles from his friends.

"Very nice job, Robin." Chrom said, patting his shoulder.

"Thanks, it was a lot less painful than I envisioned." he snarked.

* * *

As the evening went on, people began pairing up to dance with each other with the newlyweds taking center stage, with Cordelia and Stahl providing the harp among other instruments that comprised the music. Robin was content with watching everyone else dance, crossing his toes in his shoes that Sumia remembered their lessons. To her credit, she was doing very well. So much that he took note of Chrom's surprised face as they danced smoothly in sync with each other.

In the V.I.P. area, Maribelle sat next to Nowi, observing the dance floor, wondering where Robin was. Although, with Nowi being next to her, she doubted Robin would be anywhere. She did eventually spot him standing next to the buffet table having a piece of the wedding cake, before Gaius hogging most of it for himself.

"Nowi, dear, I've got an idea; why don't you go over and have a dance with Robin?" she said, motioning her delicate, gloved hand to him. "Doesn't he look awfully lonely without a dance partner?"

Nowi eyed Robin from across the room who didn't seem to mind at all that he wasn't part of the rondo with everyone else. "I don't know, he looks pretty content to me. Why don't you go, Maribelle? Besides, you're better at dancing than I am. I practically have two left feet when it comes to that stuff."

"Oh nonsense! Come, let's go and see him!" Maribelle insisted, grabbing Nowi's arm and dragging her across the room. Despite her protests, Nowi tried not to struggle too much and make a scene with so many people around. The two women sauntered up to Robin, who lightly waved at them upon their approach.

"Good evening, ladies. You both look very nice tonight." Robin said.

"Thank you." both ladies said simultaneously. Maribelle stood behind stood behind Nowi and gently nudged her to Robin. "So, Robin, darling, Nowi was just telling me how much she wanted to share a dance with you! And, I was just telling her how great of a dancer you were with my guidance, so why don't you two enjoy yourselves?" she smirked with a slightly mischievous grin.

Robin swallowed his last morsel of cake rather roughly when the subject of him and Nowi dancing together sprang up. This was the perfect time for him to tell her how he felt about her! Robin tried to hide an eager smile, albeit poorly, as he extended his right hand to Nowi. "I'd be honored to dance with you tonight, Nowi."

The Manakete's face lit up with a shade pf deep pink and a gentle smile as she place her right hand in his. "Alright, I'm not very skilled at it, but I think I'll be okay for a quick dance." The two walked onto the dance floor, hand-in-hand and joined the party. Maribelle looked on with pride at finally getting Nowi to be with Robin for a little while. For now, she was without a partner herself... until she spotted Gaius stuffing his face.

"You there! Gaius!" she called, which prompted the sweet-toothed thief to look up from his plate with his cheeks filled. "You shall have the honor of being my dance partner tonight!" she demanded. Gaius swallowed his large amount of cake and turned away in defiance.

"Yeah, sorry Twinkles, I'm just fine here by this tasty ca-"

"It wasn't a request." Maribelle said sternly, cutting him off by dragging him onto the dance floor by his collar.

* * *

The night was coming to and end and a few guests had already left. Some still stayed and slow-danced with their partners. Not the least of which was Robin and Nowi, who looked right at home with each other. Nowi rested her head on his shoulder, breathing in his fragrance. The same one that she identified him with weeks ago and the one that adorned his familiar black coat. She could feel Robin's heart beating against her chest, almost as if he were nervous about something.

"Hey, Robin, you okay?" she finally asked.

Robin was still battling on whether or not to tell Nowi about his feelings for her. It seemed like the perfect moment; romantic dancing, the closeness between them, and the beautiful night this all took place in. The entire time the two slow danced, Robin's gaze had been towards the ceiling, always thinking of when to tell her.

"Robin?" Nowi asked again, taking her head from it's resting place. Robin finally snapped back to reality and focused his gaze onto Nowi's amethyst eyes.

"Sorry. I've been thinking about something really important." he said.

"I can tell. Your heart's been beating against my chest for the past few minutes. I've been wondering whether you'd speak up or pass out." she joked.

Robin blushed in embarrassment. It was just like Panne once said to him; that a heart always betrays it's owner. He tried to seem calm and collected, but he burned to tell Nowi how he felt. He took a deep breath for what he was about to say.

"Okay. Nowi, the truth is I have something very important... to tell you." he said.

"Me...?"

"Yes. I've been discovering things about myself lately and, some parts of me are unsure, but I have kept something bottled up for a little while and I just have to say it." he said, squeezing his eyes shut at what he was about to say.

Nowi looked up at his strained expression. Her pointed ears perked up as if to take in what he was going to say. Maybe he would say that he loved her as much as she grew to love him? She could only hope...

"Nowi... what i want to say is that I-"

Just before he finished Chrom walked up to the couple. "Robin, sorry to interrupt you but I have something important to tell you and the other Shepherds. Do you have a moment?" he asked.

Robin looked to Chrom then Nowi, then back to Chrom. He was confused on what to do and the moment was practically shattered into more pieces than an overused Glass Axe.

"Wow, I guess a lot of people have something important to say, huh?" Nowi said, letting go of Robin. "Don't worry, you can tell me later. If Chrom has something to say, it's probably in our best interest to listen." she said.

Robin's heart was practically screaming at the incredibly poor timing. "Yeah... Sure..." he responded, his face almost drooping. The two followed Chrom out of the dance hall back into the grand hall where the rest of the Shepherds were. Everyone stood at attention while Chrom and Sumia stood in front of them.

"Everyone, thank you for making it to our wedding. It means so much that every single one of you could be here. I've called you all here for one quick announcement."

"Is there anymore cake?" Gaius asked before a loud slap was heard. "Ow! What's the deal, Twinkles!?"

Chrom scratched his forehead after the display. "Right... As I was saying; I have an important announcement. Shortly after our ordeal with Plegia this past month, Sumia and I have given it some serious consideration, and we have decided that, while every one of you were important in bringing victory to Ylisse, one man was at the helm of our ship."

Everyone instictively looked at Robin, who stood surprised. He looked to his left and right, wondering why Chrom made such a point of acknowledging him.

"Robin, you have done everything asked of you, but never asked for anything. And so, tomorrow evening, a very special ceremony will be held in your honor. I will not tell you now what the significance of it is, but I hope that you all will be back here to witness it. I promise you, this is no small thing that I've prepared. With that, I bid you all good night and farewell and hope to see you all soon."

With the announcement over and done with, everyone decided to call it a night and said their good byes to one another. Robin sought out Nowi, to try and salvage what courage he had left to tell her what he wanted to say before. The moment wouldn't be the same as before, but he just had to say it now or he may never be able to.

"Nowi, there you are. So, that thing I wanted to tell you." He stated.

"Don't worry about it, you can tell me tomorrow. I'm pretty beat now." she said.

"T-Tomorrow? Well... see, it's really important and I thought I should tell you now..."

"I'm sorry, but you can tell me after that big ceremony tomorrow, okay? I promise, you'll have my full, undivided attention!"

Robin sighed in defeat. It was no point in telling her if he would just force it like this. "Alright. You win, but remember, undivided attention. I'll hold you to it." he said.

"Don't worry, I never break a promise!" she said. "Well, good night then... and thanks for the dance." Nowi, out of instinct leaned forward and gave Robin a gentle kiss on his cheek, an action that caught them _both _off guard. Both of them stared wide-eyed at each other. Robin with a hand on the spot where she kissed him, and Nowi with her hands over her mouth, both not believing what had just happened.

"I-I'm sorry, I've gotta go!" she said running off to join Maribelle.

Robin stood in place, with his hand still fixed on where Nowi's lips touched him. He still couldn't believe it. What's more, neither of them were embarrassed by this. When they first embraced each other, neither of them could stop blushing, and now here they were, dancing with each other as if it was nothing and now not batting an eye when Nowi had placed her first kiss upon him. Deep down, Robin knew. He knew Nowi shared the same feelings he had for her, and he couldn't help but smile at this fact. He had no more doubts anymore, it was absolute; he was in love with Nowi. Not as a friend, but as a woman. It didn't matter if she was centuries older than he was, or that she was a different species entirely, Nowi was the one who he felt safe around, one who made him happy. One who he wanted to see next to him every morning and hold next to him every night. Just as Chrom told him days before, he answered 'yes' to every one of those questions without hesitation. All that was left was to finally confess it.

That night, Robin walked back to the inn he stayed at and thought only about Nowi on his way there. He stared up to the stars and walked with an excitable gait that almost made it look like he was dancing.

* * *

**A/N: Oh snap. Can't believe this took over a week to do... Actually it took about two days. I just lost motivation because this was a ChromxSumia-centric chapter and no lovey-dovey RobinxNowi stuff. Rest assured though that I should be updating the story a bit faster now that this big chapter is out of the way. **


	12. Interlude 4

**Interlude 4**

_Robin looked up at the bright, crisp autumn sky, taking note of the beautiful orange glow the trees cast upon the open fields. A slight chill went down his spine as the cool air gently blew over him and kissed his cheeks. His black coat waved gently in the wind as he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, welcoming the beauty he beheld into his very being. But no beauty could compare to the woman who approached him from behind. Nowi, in all her splendor walked up behind Robin and embraced him, resting her head against his back. He responded by holding her hands that were against his chest in his own and squeezing them gently. _

_"Are you coming, Robin? You've been standing here alone for a long time." she whispered into his ear. He placed one of his hands across her soft face and looked at her over his shoulder. "Yes. I was just admiring the seasonal change. It's beautiful, isn't it?" he answered._

_Nowi grabbed Robin's left hand and lead him up a small inclined hill to a large oak tree that stood at the top, as if observing the fields the two were in. _

_"It is. But this view is much better. Come on, let's go!" she said, urging him forward. She giggled cheerfully as the two ran up the hill and stood in front of the large tree. Robin looked outward onto the view. She was right; the view was breathtaking. It was a full view of the town of Ylisstol and the palace in one view from the hill they stood at. "You were right. It is beautiful." Robin said, smiling._

_The two of them sat down on the plush grass leaning against the tree. The two stayed there, with Robin hugging Nowi close to him, shielding her from the chilly winds. He sighed in content as they continued to watch the horizon. _

_"I guess now is the perfect time." Robin said reaching into his coat. Nowi looked up at him with curious eyes. What could he possibly have in his coat? Hopefully something to eat. What Robin brought from his coat was something better than any snack Nowi could imagine; It was a gold band which he presented to her. _

_"Nowi, will you marry me?" he asked, gently removing her purple glove from her right hand and placing the ring upon her finger. Nowi placed her exposed hand on his cheek and looked into his deep, brown eyes and leaned in close. "Yes. I will." she whispered. She closed her eyes and puckered her lips to meet his as she leaned in. _

"Oh, Robin~ You're my one true love~ Kiss me~!" rang a falsetto, male voice. The sound of this unfamiliar voice caused Robin to open his eyes quickly to meet the face of none other but Gaius, with his own lips puckered.

"AAAAUGH!" Robin yelled falling out of his bed in sheer terror, pillows and blankets flying off the bed. Robin threw one of his pillows at Gaius' head, who simply sidestepped it and laughed as Robin scrambled to his feet.

"Gaius! What in the seven Hells were you thinking!? And... and... and how did you get in my room...?" he stammered. Gaius stepped backwards and sat in the chair opposite the bed. "I think a better series of questions is; One, why were you making kissy-face with your pillow and Two, where are your pants?" he asked.

Robin huffed and unfurled his pantaloons from under his bed, slipping them on. "I always sleep without my lower garments... and I wasn't kissing my pillow! I was... drinking... something... in my dreams..." he said, looking away while he spoke. He placed the blanket and pillows back on the bed neatly and sat on the edge. "Okay, now back to my question: How did you get into my room? You need a key to even get passed the door. My second question is simple... WHY!?" he yelled.

Gaius twirled a small metal clip he pulled from one of his pouches that was strapped to his waist. "You're talkin' to a thief here, Bubbles. Getting into chests is what I do. Getting into rooms? Child's play. As for _why_ I'm here, Blue asked me to make sure you'd be up, bright and early for your special ceremony today." he said, unwrapping a lollipop and popping it into his mouth.

"Blue...?" Robin asked.

"Y'know... Chrom?"

"Right. But Chrom said the ceremony isn't until tonight. Why would he need me to be up 'bright and early'? I could have easily woken up mid-afternoon and still be able to arrive on time."

Gaius twisted the candy in his mouth and smirked. "Well, he didn't specifically say to get you up early... Or to even wake you up at all. He just asked that I find you in time to GET there. The wake-up part was just an excuse to bust into your place and scare you half to death." he said, laughing.

Robin's right eye twitched in frustration. He calmly got up from his bed, walked over to Gaius, and in one quick swipe of his hand, he grabbed the lollipop out of Gaius' mouth and tossed it out the window on the other side of the room. Without saying a word, he grabbed his black coat from the headboard of his bed and walked out of the room to pursue other matters.

"I've got like 7 more where that came from, y'know." Gaius called from the room. Robin walked right back into his room and swiped Gaius' pouch and tossed it out the window as well, along with his lock-pick, then walked back out of the room. "Geez... Woke up on the wrong side of the bed?" Gaius snickered, secretly pulling out another lollipop from his sleeve and getting up to follow the frustrated tactician.

The two walked around Ylisstol shortly, going from store to store, usually libraries, for Robin to check up on new shipments of stories he wished to read. Their final stop was a local jeweler that Robin had heard high praise of. Robin stopped just in front of the store and turned to Gaius.

"Hey, Gaius, you don't have to follow me around all day. If you want, you can tell Chrom that I'll be over in an hour... maybe two. I've got some business to take care of." he said. Gaius shrugged his shoulders and walked off towards the palace without saying a word. "Aren't you going to at least ask what I've got planned?" he called out. Gaius continued walking. "Not really. It's none of my business Bubbles. I'll see ya at the ceremony." he said. Robin looked skeptical. Gaius always sneaked around and got into everyone's business all the time. Why, he just broke into his room that morning, but he seemed indifferent when Robin brought up his personal agenda. Taking it as a blessing instead of something to worry about, Robin stepped into the jeweler's shop. A small bell chimed as he walked in. The shop had many shiny baubles and items on display on the walls and in a display case that doubled as the clerk's desk.

"Welcome!" chirped the shopkeeper. She was a woman who had a welcoming and somewhat sinister smile with her index finger planted on her chin, and red hair tied into a ponytail. Robin could swear he saw this woman before... Regardless he stepped forward and looked into the display case.

"Hello, madam. I'm looking to... purchase a ring." he said, pressing his fingers together. The shopkeeper eyed Robin as he looked back and forth from the many objects she had on sale. "A ring huh? Alright! Just take your pick and let's talk gold!" she said.

Robin took a while and examined each ring. None of them represented the message he was trying to convey. Specifically, he wanted to find a ring to present to Nowi and tell her that he had fallen in love with her, but none of these screamed _'I love you and you mean the world to me!' _Robin was set to leave, but as he leaned in close to the display case, he heard the glass knock against something in his coat. Robin reached in and pulled out the radiant blue stone that Nowi gave him back in Plegia. Nowi once said that this stone was her most prized possession. It was perfect. He wanted to send Nowi the message that _she _was something he treasured above anything else. He eyed the craggy stone with a smile.

"Excuse me, do you also make special rings?" he asked. The shopkeeper rubbed her chin with her index finger and looked at the stone he held up. "Ah, I see, you want me to turn that ol' rock into a gem for the band, right?" she asked. "Would you mind if I saw it?" she held her hand out, to which Robin obliged and placed the blue stone into her hand. The red-haired clerk held the stone up and looked into it, squinting her eyes to focus her vision.

"Wow, this is some stone you've got here, sir. Do you have an idea of what this is?" she asked. Robin shook his head _no _at her question. He figured it was just some old stone Nowi found in a cave or something of the like. The shopkeeper put the stone down onto the glass case. "This, dear sir, is a very old, and very broken Ice Dragonstone. Extremely rare! How did you get your hands on this?" she asked. Robin was utterly surprised. He had no idea that Nowi's most prized possession was an old Dragonstone! Given it's luster compared to hers, he didn't think SHE knew it was a Dragonstone either.

"Wow," he said, leaning back a bit, "I had no idea this was a Dragonstone... Do you think a Manakete could still use this?" he asked.

"I doubt it. A Dragonstone usually dims and becomes useless when it's been used too much. After it loses it's glow it just becomes as frail and useless as an ordinary stone. If you're going to present this ring to someone, she must be pretty special to warrant such a rare item."

"So, does this mean you'll turn this stone into a ring for me?" he asked.

"Sure thing, as long as you have the gold for it, that is!" she said, her sinister smile widening.

"Name your price. I'll match it." Robin said, reaching into his coat for his pouch of gold coins.

* * *

In Themis, Nowi and Maribelle were getting ready to head to Ylisstol for Robin's ceremony. Nowi was busy packing things away in a burlap sack that she bought in town. Maribelle walked into the guest room to check on the Manakete.

"Nowi, are you ready to leave? ...What are you doing, dear, packing? We'll only be there for no more than an hour." she said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her.

Nowi tied down the hefty bag and slung it over her shoulder. "Oh this? Well, Maribelle... I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but after this ceremony, I'm gonna go away for a while." she said.

Maribelle raised an eyebrow. "Going away? Whatever for? You're not happy here? Honestly, I hoped you would stay in the manor and live with human society... I even had a mind to adopt you as a step-sister..." she said, a tinge of disappointment in her voice.

A bittersweet smile spread across Nowi's face. "That's really nice of you Maribelle, and I would be glad to be part of your family... but the thing is, I'm not leaving because I'm unhappy. I'm leaving because I'm going on a journey to find..." Nowi stopped and paused for a second, looking away. "...to find my parents." she said. Maribelle felt a pit form in her stomach when Nowi said this. She was unaware of Nowi's own family. She had been sold into slavery when the Shepherds found her, so of course she would want to find her way back home. She almost slapped her forehead in having overlooked this fact.

Maribelle sat Nowi down on her bed and sat next to her. "Nowi, I understand your want to find your home and family again but... What about Robin? Aren't you going to tell him how you feel about him? You're not planning on just leaving and keeping your feelings bottled up are you?" she asked.

Nowi shook her head. "No. I think it's best if I keep my feelings to myself. I've been thinking about it and... I don't think I'm what's best for Robin." she looked down at her hands. Maribelle was taken aback at the complete turn around Nowi had. Days ago, she spoke about how she was wondering if Robin would return her feelings, and now she's talking about abandoning him altogether. "Nowi, what are you talking about? You're just going to drop it, just like that?"

Nowi reluctantly nodded her head and sighed. "Yeah. Pretty much. Like I said, I'm not what's best for Robin. I'm a Manakete after all. In case you haven't noticed, I'm kind of immortal. If we were to end up together, Robin would live with a wife that wouldn't age a single day while he would grow old and... and..." Nowi started to tear up. "I... I don't want to be left alone... after getting so attached. I can't." Nowi wiped a tear away. "I feel it's best that I just go and just leave with knowing him as a friend. It's not like he loves me, you know. He hasn't said a word about it. You always say Robin is the first to tell you or Chrom stuff but he never talks about me, so there won't be any hurt feelings." she said.

"Nowi... Don't talk like that... What about your feelings?" she asked. Nowi looked away from her. "My feelings don't matter. Eventually I'll get over him... Eventually. But, it's not just the fact that I'm a Manakete that I'm distancing myself." Nowi looked to Maribelle this time. "I know, Maribelle. I know that you love Robin too."

Maribelle's heart skipped a beat. She wanted to run. Run far away and hide. She had buried her feelings for Robin because she knew Robin didn't have any attraction for her. She did notice the time him and Nowi had spent together. And the other night, when they danced, she saw a connection between them. Something that she never shared with him no matter how many times she and him spoke or danced. Although Robin didn't say a word, Maribelle knew that Robin also had feelings for Nowi, just by watching them. Nowi seemed oblivious to Robin's feelings, but how could she have caught onto her own?

This time, Maribelle looked away from Nowi. "How did you know...?" she asked. "I never said a word... how did you know?" she asked again.

"Because, I see that look in your eyes when you speak to him. Back in Regna Ferox, I saw you, when you sat next to him that you wanted him, just as much as I do now... maybe more. It's not fair that I suddenly come along and steal him away from you."

Maribelle gripped her parasol tightly in her gloved hands. "Stop it." she said, sternly.

"It's true!" Nowi jumped up from the bed. "You love him more than I do! You always talk about how you two are 'intimate friends' and your 'gentlemen lessons' and all that. You defend him when he's in trouble, you're more mature than me... you have money and power... You're just better for him than me. What do I have? Just the clothes on my back and the ability to turn into a big, scary reptile..."

"I said stop it!" Maribelle shouted, shooting up from the bed, facing Nowi. Her face was heated from anger and holding back tears. She hated to hear such things and lack of self-respect from Nowi. "You think I have it so great? That I am what Robin lives and dreams about? Well, I'm not! Not once has Robin ever shown affection to me. He never embraces me the way he does you... I may have money and influence, but I can't make Robin happy... Only you do that. Why can't you just accept your feelings for him?" she said, dropping back down onto the bed. "Because I've seen the way he acts around you. He smiles when you're near... he dances with a look of euphoria only with you... I've never been able to make him do that. Not once, and to see you here, standing before me and underestimate yourself just because you are _'different'? _Because you are _'ordinary'? _I thought you were better than that. Yet, here I stand, telling you of the way you make him feel and I bet you can't even admit to yourself that you love him... that's why I've never said I loved him aloud, Nowi. Because I know that _I'm _not good enough for him."

Maribelle's threshold gave in as a steady stream of tears rolled down her delicate cheeks. She sniffled, finally admitting that she can never truly have Robin. "I can give him as many lessons as I wish... I can have all the money in the world. I could be the Queen of Valm and Robin would always choose you over me. I can accept that now, so why can't you accept your feelings?"

Nowi clenched her fists. Seeing Maribelle crying was making her heart ache. She is usually strong and astute, but seeing her break down was going to make HER cry as well. Nowi fell to her knees and rested her head on Maribelle's lap.

"Okay..." she muttered.

"What?" Maribelle asked.

"I... I love him..."

"...Louder."

"I love him." Nowi said.

"Pick your head up and say it louder!" Maribelle said.

Nowi lifted her head up from Maribelle's lap, her face twisted with emotion and soaked in tears.

"I love him, okay!? I admit it! I love Robin! I don't care if I'm a Manakete and he's a human! I'd love him if he was a Taguel! I. Love. Robin!" she shouted, burying her face in Maribelle's chest and crying while she hugged her tight. Maribelle wrapped her arms around Nowi, comforting her. Finally, she had admitted her true feelings. Maybe not the the person intended but it came out.

It took quite a bit of time for Nowi to vent her tears, so much so that Maribelle had to change her outfit, as it was stained with the stuff. The two walked out of the manor, en route to Ylisstol for the ceremony. As they walked off the grounds Nowi stopped as she rubbed her Dragonstone with her thumbs, as she always did when she was nervous or troubled.

"Ever since the first day I met Robin... He was so kind to me." she said in a hushed voice. Maribelle stopped and listened patiently. "I think I told you this before but... humans don't take too well to Manaketes sometimes. Back where I came from, we were told to never bother the humans because they feared us. Sometimes, bad humans would try to hunt us down for our scales, our Dragonstones or other treasures. That's how I got separated from my parents a few hundred years back. It was only recently that I was captured. You remember that though, our run in with those cultists." Maribelle nodded in understanding.

"When I first met Robin, I thought that he only wanted me around because I was a Manakete and I would be strong enough to help the Shepherds win the war. I admit, I joined up because I was scared of being alone again, I was alone for almost 200 years before I met you guys. But... after a short time, I could tell that Robin didn't see me as some heavy artillery in the army. I was an equal, just like everyone else. Even people like Panne, who hated humans had respect for Robin. That's when I knew; Robin was someone special... someone very special and before I knew it, I started falling in love with him. I guess I fell in love with his heart... That part of him that saw passed what I was and saw me, as a person... as a woman. To Robin, I'm not 'Nowi, that Manakete' I'm just Nowi." Nowi smiled and closed her eyes, picturing Robin's smiling face when he first signed her up for the Shepherds.

Maribelle rubbed her chin and nodded again. "I see. Nowi, you have no idea how lucky you are, Robin is a fine man, and I'm sure he feels the same about you." she reassured.

"Maybe. I really hope so... But love or not, I still think I should leave for a while."

"I understand, and I'll look after him until you return... Just don't take TOO long to come back to us, humans don't usually live to be 100." she laughed.

Nowi giggled at the joke. "Don't worry. It will be like I never left." she smiled. "So, we should get going now. Don't want to be late." Nowi held her Dragonstone skyward and was enveloped in an iconic, pink rose-bud, and emerged in her dragon form. Maribelle hopped onto her back and the two took off into the skies for Ylisstol.

* * *

The sun was setting over the hills of Ylisse and this mysterious ceremony that Chrom spoke of the day before was at hand. In Ylisstol Palace, The private ceremony was held not in the grand hall, but in the court meeting room. A large circular room that the nobles and royalty of Ylissse would gather only on the most important of occasions, be them to discuss laws or other matters. The seats on a higher level were occupied by the other dukes and lords of the realm, while the lower area was surrounded by the Shepherds with Sumia standing in the center. Every single one had come to witness Robin's ceremony.

Chrom walked with Robin, who had just arrived, throughout the palace and made their way to the courtroom.

"Chrom, you've yet to tell me what this ceremony actually IS. And why did you ask me to remove my coat anyways? It's kind of chilly tonight..." Robin said, as he followed Chrom up a particularly long set of steps, holding his shoulders. He was in his normal beige shirt that he usually wore under his black coat, but when he arrived, Chrom asked that he take it off and resent it to one of the maids.

"Trust me, I'll fill you in once we arrive." he said, continuing to stay tight-lipped. At the top of the stairs, was a large set of double doors. Chrom gently opened them and lead Robin inside. Robin gawked in awe at the room. He had never been here before. It was a room very few would ever step into. Robin may not have known what this ceremony was about, but if it were to be held in such a room, there was no question of it's importance and magnitude.

Chrom walked ahead of Robin down the straight path into the circular meeting area, and stood next to Sumia in the center. Robin slowly walked forward, mostly because he was intimidated by the eyes of the noblemen and noblewomen who sat a few feet above him. He was bolstered with confidence upon seeing his friends all present and accounted for, however, as his slow walk broke into a brisk stride. He remembered to walk like a nobleman to impress the audience. Maribelle's lessons were really beginning to come in handy as of late. Robin walked into the circular area and stopped a few feet in front of Chrom and Sumia.

Chrom looked up at all the attendees and back at Robin. "Everyone. I am glad that you could all make it here, tonight on such short notice. Rest assured what happens tonight will be of extreme significance, and I wish for you all to be here to be the first to witness such a moment." he said with a commanding, booming voice.

"Before me stands Robin. A man with no past, but a bright future. He has seen battle that most soldiers would never come home to speak about. He has a brilliant tactical mind, unparalleled by anyone in recent record in the Halidome of Ylisse. Most importantly, he is a friend who, without debate, is a blessing to have by one's side. I have not known Robin for more than but half a year now, and in that time, he has become an invaluable partner and friend. We have gathered here in recognition of his brilliant talents. I stand here today, to ask you, Robin, if you would do Ylisse the honor of accepting the task of being the Grandmaster of her royal defenses. To be the sword and shield that protects her people."

Robin's jaw dropped from being offered such an opportunity. A Grandmaster, something that tacticians like him only dreamed of ascending to! Robin had never thought in his lifetime that he would be offered such an opportunity! Even the nobles whispered and murmured among themselves. They were not told of such a thing. A Grandmaster is a position that is not given out lightly. As a matter of fact, the last person to achieve such a rank was Chrom's very distant ancestor Anri the Great, and that was over 3,000 years ago.

"C-Chrom...! A Grandmaster!?" he asked.

"Absolutely. I have no doubt in my mind that you are fit for such a task, Robin. The position is yours. All you must do is accept it."

"Now see here!" spoke one noble. "Such a title is only awarded to the greatest of heroes and tactical minds! Prince Chrom! Are you absolutely sure that this... boy should even deserve this title!? He looks no older than 22 and what's more, you say you found him practically alone in a dirt field? Think about the weight this title carries, milord!"

Chrom hid his annoyance from the nobleman's comments. The fact that he referred to Chrom as a prince still and that he saw Robin as a mere "boy" was an insult.

"I have thought long and hard on this decision since I returned home from Plegia. No one from our army fell in battle. Not a single Ylissean soldier was slain and Plegia was defeated with relative ease. I have full confidence that Robin will live up to the reputation of a Grandmaster."

The nobleman slammed his hand on the wooden table in front of him. "I still say such a title is too robust to be given out so early, milord. If he were such a great tactician, than surely he would have kept Exalt Emmeryn alive from those Plegian dastards!"

The room quickly grew silent and tension, thick as bear meat filled the room. Chrom's arm twitched to grab Falchion and show this disrespectful nobleman his place. Sumia placed her hand on Chrom's shoulder to calm him down, which he thankfully did so. He took a deep breath and steadied his hand from trying to grab Falchion.

"You are free to go, sir." Chrom said.

"Wha-!? But, milord-"

"That's an order. Or do you dare speak against your _King?_" Chrom said, putting emphasis on the last word.

The nobleman bowed his head and and left the room, saying nary a word. Once he had left the room Chrom smiled at having such disrespect removed from his sight.

"So, your answer, Robin?" he asked again.

Robin ran his hands through his silvery-white hair. He thought about this for a while. He would have control of a very large responsibility of Ylisse. Yet, being offered something he could only dream about was so unreal it truly did seem like a dream. He would never get a chance like this again, so with full confidence, Robin straightened his figure and looked at Chrom in his steeled blue eyes.

"King Chrom... I accept."

Chrom smiled brightly at hearing those words. Chrom clapped his hands together twice, which caused a set of maids to walk into the room. Each of them holding pieces of the Grandmaster ensemble.

The first maid approached Robin and attached a shining chest plate to him. "May this armor protect you as you have done for Ylisse." Chrom said.

The second and third maid attached twin pieces of shining armor to each of his legs. "May these leg plates bolster you to march us to future victories."

The fourth maid presented Robin with the Grandmaster's coat. She draped it around Robin's shoulders and allowed him to slip his arms into the sleeves. Since a Grandmaster had not been given this rank in a long time, his previous coat was used as the base. In truth it was very similar to his coat, but more extravagant.

Gold thread lined the edges of the coat and the clasps were made from solid silver and the upper back was reinforced with gold armor plating. The rest of the coat was similar to his old one, black in coloration, slightly longer and a pattern of purple eyes were stitched into the cloth. "May this coat offer you an identity that all your allies and enemies shall know your name and your allegiance."

The fifth maid presented him with a red, decorative box rested on a cushion. Robin opened the latch on the box and inside lay the tome, Thoron; One of the mightiest thunder tomes ever known. "May this magic be used to cast bolts of justice upon only those who disturb the peace of Ylisse."

The sixth and final maid knelt in front of Robin and presented him with a scabbard. Inside of it lay a newly crafted weapon for his own personal use, and no one else. Robin gently took the sword from the maid and unsheathed it. It was exquisitely forged with silver metal, so pure he could see his own reflection in the blade. It was thin, but sharp and commanding and the hilt had a hand guard for personal protection. Robin sheathed the excellent blade and attached the scabbard and belt around his waist. "May this sword help you cleave through the darkness and deliver our kingdom to the light."

With Robin's ceremonious transformation from a tactician to a Grandmaster complete, Chrom drew Falchion and rested the blade a few inches from Robin's shoulder before moving it to the other and finally, hovering it over his head.

"As the King of Ylisse, I christen thee, Robin, our new Grandmaster. May Naga bless you and hope that you shall never need to use these tools as long as you shall live."

Chrom sheathed Falchion, and with the ceremony complete, a light round of applause was given in Robin's name. Every Shepherd congratulated Robin on achieving something that was next to impossible to obtain, and the nobles agreed wholeheartedly that Robin would make sure to live up to the name.

* * *

Later that evening, as everyone decided to leave, Robin was stopped by Chrom. "One second friend, there's one last gift I have for you." he said with a smile. Robin was absollutely overwhelmed. Chrom had already given him the greatest gift he had ever recieved, nothing could possibly top this.

"Chrom, you're too much. What else could you possibly have up your sleeves.?" he asked.

"Follow me." he said. The two walked throughout the castle to the residential area. On one wing of the castle, opposite to the wing that housed Chrom and Lissa's room, they stopped in front of a door. "Robin, I'd like to welcome you to your new room." Chrom said, pushing open the wooden door to reveal a well furnished room. Robin stepped inside and stared, mouth gaping at the size of the room. It was much bigger than the one he had at the inn. In fact, it was as big as Chrom's room!

"So... this is my room?" he asked, walking over to many of the different pieces of furniture, one of which was a desk with a bottle of wine that had a bow tied around the neck of it.

"Absolutely. I wanted you to be my military adviser, but also, you're like family to me now, Robin. And as family, you're free to stay in the palace with me and Lissa and with anyone you choose as your marriage partner, if you are fortunate enough to marry.

Robin held back a tear from the entire gesture. "Chrom... I don't have the words to thank you for how well you've treated me... First a Grandmaster and now this? If there is anything I can do to repay your kindness, Chrom, you need only ask!" he said.

"Heh, I remember I said the same thing to you just before our battle with Plegia." Chrom chuckled. "I said that after you gave up your money just to gain intel on Gangrel. Well, Robin, this is just my way of thanking YOU for what you've done for all of Ylisse. In truth, I can't thank you enough for helping my Kingdom." he said modestly.

Robin patted Chrom's shoulder. "This... is a good start." he smiled and laughed.

"Well, I'm glad you're happy. I'll just be off then. Have a good night." he said walking out of Robin's room and going to meet with Sumia.

Robin looked around and flopped lazily onto his new bed. It was much softer than the ones at the inn, and so were the pillows! Robin was removing his armor pieces and was getting ready to call it a day when he heard an odd, distorted "roar" at his curtains.

"Raaaawrr! RRAAWWWR! Robiiin! I'm gonna eactchaaaaa!" echoed the noise. Robin pulled the drapes of his curtains to the side to witness Nowi, in her dragon form flying in front of his window. Nowi shifted back to her human form and sat on the window sil. "So, Grandmaster and living with Royalty all in one day! Aren't you lucky!" she said.

Robin grabbed Nowi's hand and pulled her into his room. "I guess today was my lucky day." he said, smiling. Robin took note of the bag that Nowi was carrying with her. "So, why are you carrying that small bag with you, Nowi?" he asked.

The Manakete busied herself with looking at the entire room, admiring the grandness of it. It was even better than her guest room at Maribelle's manor, though one could pnly expect that from a room at a palace. Nowi finished her rounds with Robin's desk, poking at the bottle of wine. She sighed as she prepared to answer his question.

"Robin, that bag is what I'll be carrying with me for a while. I thought I'd come and tell you after the ceremony that... I'm going somewhere for a while." she said. Robin was confused. He thought she would stay in Ylisse after the war. She talked a lot about staying with Maribelle and being part of the Shepherds for a lot longer, this was the first he had ever heard of her leaving.

"Going somewhere... Is that your kind way of saying 'far away'...?" he asked, a bit of a sting in his voice.

Scratching the side of her head, Nowi continued, "Yeah... You remember Tharja, right? Well, I talked to her a few times before the war ended and she told me that my parents were out there somewhere. So, I decided that when the war was over and we were finally able to live in peace-time, that I would spend it looking for them."

A long silence fell over the two. Robin was, yet again conflicted on what to do. Before Nowi had said what she said, Robin was ready to lay his cards down and express his feelings for Nowi. Now... Now there was no point to doing so. If he told her now, she would probably abandon her search for her parents and spend the rest of their time together longing to see them, and Robin couldn't do that to her. He couldn't bring himself to be so selfish as to deny Nowi a chance to reunite with her family. Though, he did regret questioning her about the whole matter now. He sighed in defeat and sat down at the edge of his bed. "I understand. You want to see your family. Anyone would want that... I just have one question for you though."

"Yes?"

"Will you be back? Will I ever see you again?" he asked, looking directly at her.

Nowi smiled warmly and walked up to Robin. She undid the knot on her bag and pulled out Robin's strategy book and held it in front of him. "Of course I'll be back. You said that the friendship we all share can stretch to any length. As long as I have friends like you and Maribelle waiting here for me, I'll always have a reason to come back, because Ylisse is my home now." she said.

The thought of Nowi returning lessened the blow, but Robin was still distressed. It looked like he would have to wait a little bit longer before he could tell her, but for her, he would wait 100 years if he had to... Although he hoped he never WOULD need to wait that long. Having no reason to argue with her sound, if somewhat heart-breaking, logic, Robin stood up from his bed and embraced Nowi one last time.

"I'll miss you..." he whispered into her ears. Nowi returned his hug and whispered back. "I'll miss you too... Look after Maribelle while I'm gone." she said. With their exchange over with, Nowi placed her book back into her bag and stood on Robin's windowsill, ready to take flight. She pulled out her Dragonstone and held it aloft before she hesitated for one moment.

"Oh, Robin, I almost forgot! You said you wanted to tell me something important today! Sorry, I almost took off without hearing it. What's so important?" she asked. Robin laughed a hollow laugh and looked passed her into the star-filled night sky. "It's... It's not very important actually... Don't worry about it. I'll tell you the next time I see you." he said. Nowi looked disappointed, as if someone was keeping a really juicy secret from her. "Think of it as motivation for you to come back sooner." Robin smirked.

Not needing anymore words, Nowi turned back to the night sky and jumped from the windowsill, where upon she changed into a dragon mid-fall and soared off to the distance. Robin waved at the glowing dragon as she joined the stars and continued to watch her until she disappeared in the veil of night. After he was sure she was finally gone, Robin fell to his knees, resting his head in his arms upon the windowsill. He had missed his chance to tell Nowi how he felt... again. It was as if fate itself was keeping them apart. Sure, Nowi would return 'someday' but when would that day be? Years from now when he possibly moves passed her and has a family of his own?

"Nowi... please come back soon..." he whispered into the nightly gale. He hoped and prayed, to whatever deity was listening, to bring back the woman who had captured his heart... and flown away with it to parts unknown.

* * *

**A/N: Aw man. This chapter was all over the place... First romantic to silly, then angsty to serious and right back to angst... And it shows... This chapter clocks in at over 6,000 words! **

**A cookie is awarded to all of you who actually had the patience to read though all of this! Thanks for reading and reviewing, as always!**

**EDIT: Oh, and for those of you wondering what the Grandmaster sword looks like... it's just Eliwood's Blade. It's my favorite weapon, so I made it a Grandmaster weapon of choice!**


	13. Interlude 5

**A/N: Well now that we got all the mush out of the way, I can proceed with more set-building for future events! I've decided to not water down the story too much from here on out, so I've pushed events along about over a year since the last chapter.**

* * *

**Interlude 5**

Just over a year has passed and so many things have happened. Chrom had risen to the role of King and Sumia a Queen. Robin had gained the honor of being called the Grandmaster of Ylisse and thankfully, peace continued in the Halidome with no provocation from Plegia in the slightest. For weeks after the royal wedding, the people, though relieved that the war was over, were on eggshells to see if Plegia would make a retaliation for dethroning their king. Fortunately, no attacks happened. The bandits that harassed the Ylissean borders all ceased and good-natured trade routes were reestablished between Plegia, Ylisse and Regna Ferox.

Life continued for everyone. The former Shepherds had gone back to their home towns or elsewhere, and continued their old lives before the war started. Frederick and Cordelia both continued to train new members of the Ylissean army, with the latter becoming an excellent successor to Captain Phila. Stahl and Sully continued their relationship as they lead the cavaliers of the army on many peace-keeping missions across the land. Miriel continued to study the process of disappearing; something inspired by her test subject that no one seemed to remember. Gaius returned to picking pockets across many noble houses, although he did stop by Themis now and again to give Maribelle a batch of rare tea leaves he claimed 'fell off the back of a convoy'. Lissa paid many daily visits to Ricken's manor, who continued to study his magical skills and bring his family name back to good graces. Not much was known about the others, but all hoped they lived well.

Robin enjoyed his now peaceful life, living in the palace. Aside from paperwork regarding the armies he commanded and attending court along with the other nobles, which was less exciting than it sounds, he couldn't ask for anything else in life... Well, there was _one _thing he could ask for, but for the time being, he had to remain patient. Still, it had been a long time since he had seen her.

* * *

"Again. Focus your center of balance and watch for an opening!" Frederick commanded, raising his sword. "Now, strike me!" Robin gripped a wooden sword in his hands and watched Frederick's defensive stance. He had taken to "Frederick's Fanatical Fitness Hour" to polish his combat skills, so he could be of better use if ever the moment called for it. It was also a good opportunity to connect with the other soldiers in Ylisse's service. Right now, the two were the only one in the training grounds, but many other soldiers, new recruits especially, watched from the sidelines. Few ever attempted to take on Frederick's personal training.

Frederick continued to hold his stance while Robin watched closely watched for any sort of flaw. When he saw one he quickly charged and swung his weapon at Frederick who dodged it easily, prompting Robin to react quickly and struck Frederick's torso. Many of the other soldiers gasped in surprise. No one had ever been able to strike Frederick before. Even Robin himself was surprised.

"I did it? I actually di- gugh!" he grunted, as Frederick landed a blow with the pommel of his own weapon against Robin's stomach, which toppled him over, like a felled tree. "W... Why...?" he choked out.

Frederick smiled as he held a hand out to Robin, who shakily reached out for it. "Because you hesitated. Even in training, never hesitate when crossing weapons." he stated. With a hefty pull, Frederick brought Robin back on his feet, who held his stomach in pain. It was worse than usual. This was the third time this month that he was hit in that spot. He wondered if Frederick was doing it on purpose now.

"Ahh... I think you cracked a rib this time..." Robin said, wincing from the pain. He rubbed the sore spot tenderly.

"Nonsense. Allow me to check." Frederick said. Before Robin could protest, Frederick pressed two fingers firmly against the spot, earning a high pitched, almost girlish squeal from Robin, who was ready to buckle in pain again. "Hmm... It seems I may have tried to hard to teach you a lesson in hesitation. I suppose I can grant you the day off tomorrow then. Think of that cracked rib as a trophy of your triumph today." he said.

"A simple word of recognition would have sufficed..." Robin responded, with a strained voice. "But I will admit, finally being able to strike you after months of training is reward enough."

"That's the spirit. Now rest up and be here early morning after tomorrow. Dis-MISSED!" Both men saluted and went their seperate ways from the courtyard. After Frederick was sure that Robin was out of site, he rubbed the area where Robin made contact with his sparring weapon. "Impressive... I may have to up my training regimen and push Robin even further..." he whispered, hoping no one else could hear him.

* * *

In Robin's private quarters, he stared at his figure in a full-body mirror to have a better look at his injury. Frederick really did a number on him this time. A redish bruise swelled over the spot he was struck multiple times in these recent training sessions. He was thankful it was only a cracked rib this time. Thanks to the extensive training he volunteered for, his body had grown leaner. The Robin of a year ago would have suffered worse if he had taken the blows the current one endured on a now-regular basis. He poked at it and winced at the sharp pain that shot through, sucking in air between his teeth.

A knock at his door was heard, accompanied by Lissa's voice. "Robiiin~! You've got a letter!" she chirped. Before Robin could fetch something to throw over himself, Lissa barged Right in, holding an envelope above her head as if it were a trophy of some sort.

"Lissa... It kind of defeats the purpose of knocking if you're just going to come in anyways... What if I was indecent?" he said, walking over to his wardrobe and grabbing a black tunic and dressing his exposed chest. Lissa blew a raspberry, in her usual dismissive attitude. "Oh pish-posh. It's not like I haven't seen you without a shirt before. Don't forget who was the first to dress your wounds whenever you got hurt." she said. "Speaking of which, I heard Frederick really gave you a wallop today. He says he apologizes."

"Pffft, this is nothing. I can walk this off." he said with bravado. The opportunity was perfect. A mischievous glint sparkled in Lissa's eyes as she slowly walked towards Robin, holding the envelope out. "Here ya go then." she said. When Robin reached his hands out to receive his letter, Lissa jabbed her index finger into Robin's bruise, which prompted another girlish squeal from him.

"Why...?" he hissed, holding the spot.

"Hee hee~! Sorry, it was just too perfect! I couldn't pass that up! My week isn't complete unless I see that rubbery thing you do with your face!" he said. Lissa had taken to Robin as a big brother to her and always made a point to do a weekly prank. From frogs in his wardrobe to (somehow) getting a Pegasus to fly into his room. Normally, Robin would be furious, but saw it as an opportunity to "lose" some paperwork during her more chaotic schemes. Oh that one week with a Fire tome was something indeed.

After Lissa caught her breath from laughing, she politely handed over the letter, making no more attempts to poke Robin. "Well, you just read that, and I'll be back with a staff." The princess walked out, clising the door behind her.

Robin looked at the envelope. It didn't look formal. No seals from neighboring royalty or signed by anyone. All that the envelope had was _To: Robin_ scribbled neatly on the back, though nothing on who it was from. Robin peeled the envelope open and pulled free folded paper. Robin unfolded it and his eyes darted from left to right across the page.

_Dearest Robin,_

_It has been too long since we have seen each other, so I decided to deliver a letter to let you know that I am still searching for my parents, but I have not forgotten my friends. I have spent the past year searching but I still have not found a sign of them. I have found many villages of other Manaketes like me, and they are all very kind people. I cannot wait to return home and tell you all about my travels. Maybe I will even bring my parents along with me. Hopeful thinking at least. I hope you are still watching over my big sister, Maribelle. Please let her know that I miss her very much and that I hope she is still studying hard._

_-Nowi_

Robin smiled warmly at the word from Nowi. He never stopped thinking about her since the day she left, always thinking of how he would welcome her home. He took another look at the letter with a light chuckle. "Big sister?" he said aloud. Although, now that he had thought about it, he had not visited Themis in quite a while. As fate would have it, the timing for all of this was fortunate as Frederick had granted Robin a day off from training tomorrow; It would be the perfect time to go and visit Maribelle for a while and tell her about Nowi and her quest. He folded the letter back up and gently placed the envelope on the edge of his desk. He walked over to his window and looked off into the distance, vainly hoping he would see Nowi's magnificent glow. Although it would never happen for a little while, it was worth it to see Ylissol from the palace window.

Robin was pulled from his reverie when Lissa barged into his room again, carrying a Heal staff. "Hooookay! Found one! Now just hold still." she commanded. Robin stood in front of the princess as she held the orb of the staff on Robin's bruise. After a faint glow eminating from the staff, the pain was gone. Robin turned to his mirror and lifted his tunic up to see that the bruise was gone and his bones felt as sturdy as ever.

"Thanks Lissa. By the way, I was going to visit Maribelle tomorrow, would you like to come along?" he asked.

Lissa's eyes brightened up at the idea of seeing her best friend again after so long. "Absolutely! It's been forever since I've been to her house! What's the occasion?"

"Two things actually;" Robin said, holding up two fingers. "One, Chrom has been meaning to speak with the Duke of Themis for a while, so I figured I should do it for him. Second, I simply just would like to see her. She's a good friend of mine too."

"Uh-huh. 'Good friends'." she smarmed.

"Yes. Friends... Say it with me, _frrrieeennndsah!_" Robin mocked, with over-expressive facial movement.

"Hey, it's not my business. You're both adults, you don't have to hide anything from me... Just be discreet about _your _business, Mister." she said, pointing her Heal staff offensively at him._  
_

"What do you mean by... Lissa, who taught you to even think like that?" Robin asked, crossing his arms.

"I'm not tellin'~!" she said, running out of Robin's room, giggling down the hall.

"I see how it is! Well, I'll just make sure to inform Chrom about that!" he called out.

"You do, and I just might 'prank' you in your sleep with a Fire tome!" she yelled back.

Robin thought about the ramifications of Lissa playing with fire... literally. Last time was a happy accident, _this_ time, she'd have an easy target. "Nevermind..." he said before closing his room door.

* * *

**A/N: I know this is short for my standards, but it's nice to have some silly moments to balance out all the teeth-rottening romance. A lil fluff never hurt nobody. **

**And yay for 50,000+ words!**


	14. Interlude 6

**Interlude 6**

Chrom and Robin watched from the sidelines as Frederick and Cordelia were doing their daily instructional drills for the troops. Cordelia was there mainly for support, but did lend a hand when helping the troops perfect their stances and positioning. The brisk, late summer air was blustering gently across the fields, bringing a sense of calm to the troops. Robin chuckled evilly when Frederick asked for a volunteer to come up for a quick spar. He knew all to well how much the troops feared Frederick's brutal "sparring sessions". Eventually one brave, or foolish, soul stepped up... and was quickly beaten down, which prompted another long lecture on the importance of posture and stance.

"Thank Naga this is my day off. I'd hate to be that poor guy right about now." Robin laughed.

"You should be grateful to have a teacher like Frederick, though. I've never seen a finer group of soldiers under his teachings." Chrom responded, continuing to watch the troops.

Robin rested his arms on the balcony and exhaled. "Oh, I am. It's just nice to see that I'm not the only one getting a rib cracked every once in a while."

"That's... Good? I think..." Chrom said. He wasn't exactly sure how to respond to such a comment. He scratched his head and thought of a way to change the subject. "So, today is your day off, from training, right? What do you intend to do for the day?" he asked.

Robin looked skyward at the sun's positioning. It was about time for him to get going. "Well, I've decided to go and visit the Duke of Themis today with Lissa for both diplomatic and personal, recreational reasons. You said you've been meaning to speak with him for a while, so I decided I'd take it upon myself and use my day off to do it."

"Robin," Chrom sighed. "I could never ask you to do that. It's my duty as King to reach out to other nobles. Besides, I'm sure you have enough on your schedule with all the paperwork you've gotten."

"Believe me, it's no trouble at all. As i said, I'm also going for personal reasons. I just thought I could also address the Duke in your stead while I'm at it. Besides, I am your most trusted adviser, and the nobles seem to take to me well enough. I'm sure the Duke won't mind if I were to pass along your concerns. And, I have been working tirelessly on those last few documents since yesterday. I have nothing more than a few more hours of work and I should be done with all that infernal duty for years to come!"

"Still... I feel it should be my responsibility to tend to such matters. What sort of a ruler would I be if I were to leave such jobs to others?"

Robin smiled sympathetically and placed a hand on Chrom's shoulder for reassurance. "Chrom, it's only a simple meeting." he chuckled. "Hardly something to place so much responsibility on. And speaking of responsibility, I think it's your best interest to stay here at the palace for a while. You do have_ other _duties to keep track of besides ruling a Halidome you know."

Chrom curled his lower lip inward, thinking about his 'other duties'. Robin waited patiently until he figured them out. Oddly enough, Chrom just shook his head and shrugged.

"...Seriously?" Robin asked.

The only response Chrom could give was a crooked smile.

"Chrom... _seriously?_"

Again, with the crooked smile and a hollow chuckle. Robin slammed his head on the balcony in complete disbelief. How could Chrom possibly forget?

"Gods, Chrom. I hope when your child is born you won't forget to be a father first before a king..." he said, giving a sour look of disapproval.

Reality suddenly sank in and hit the man like a training sword to the head. He nearly yelled out in frustration at how he could have ever forgotten: Sumia was three months pregnant!

"Gah! I had almost forgotten! I haven't even asked Sumia how she was feeling this morning!" Chrom distressed. "Thank the Gods I was blessed with a wife with so much patience... a lesser woman would have felt so neglected with me busying myself with my royal matters..."

Robin sighed of both relief and exasperation. Sometimes, Chrom could be a little thick in the head for all his wisdom. "You see my point now? You don't have to carry this weight by yourself. You've got family and friends who will help you... whether you want it or not." he smirked.

"Alright, alright. I get your point. Just don't feel you have to help me with everything." Chrom said.

"Fair enough... As long as you don't rely on me to babysit too much." Robin shot back.

Chrom rubbed his chin and looked off to the side, even squinting his eyes. "Hmm... No promises." he said. "On that note, I'd better go and check on Sumia. I'll see you and Lissa back by nightfall, won't I?" he asked.

"Barring any mishap that may occur on the way to or from the palace, I can assure you, we will."

"Good. Take care of Lissa then. And give my best regards to Maribelle as well." With that, Chrom walked away from the training grounds to his and Sumia's quarters.

* * *

"Robin, our carriage is ready, what's taking you so long?" Lissa called from down the steps of the grand hall. She had been waiting (im)patiently for Robin for the passed minute, who was grabbing his coat and a book to read for the trip. "I'm on my way, just hold your horses!" he yelled back. He stuffed the book into his coat and walked down the stairs. The two walked out of the palace and towards the horse-pulled cart at the end of the cobblestone road in the town square.

"Sorry," Robin said. "I was debating on which book to take along. Sumia recommended another book recently, but I still haven't finished the last one, what with all the paperwork your brother issued. Also-"

"Robin?" Lissa interrupted.

"Yes?"

"That sounds _really _interesting and all but... can we pick up the pace?" she asked.

Robin rolled his eyes and sped his walking pace up to the carriage. He held the door open for Lissa to step in and settled in, himself. "Where to, Sir Robin?" asked the carriage man. "To the noble's manor in Themis please." he responded. With a swift crack of the reigns, the two were off.

As the carriage made its way out of Ylisstol, Robin pulled the book he chose from his coat and returned to the page he left off on last night.

Just as the horses began carrying the carriage, Lissa looked at Robin's choice of clothing in wonder. "Hey, Robin? How come you're not wearing that fancy new robe you got last year?" Lissa asked.

"Well, that's because it's my Grandmaster's attire, Lissa. It's supposed to show people that I'm a commanding officer, but it's peacetime now. I don't need to wear it. If the Gods bless us, then I'll hopefully never need to." he answered.

"Still, it a lot more stylish than this old coat you always wear." Lissa said, pulling at the sleeve. "You've had this since the day me and Chrom found you lying in that field. You never get tired of it?"

Robin dabbed his index finger on his tongue and turned the page to his book. "Not really, no." he said, lightly shaking his head. "I just happen to like it a lot. It feels like it's part of me. Like, it completes my look." he said.

"You mean like how Chrom always carries Falchion?"

"Exactly. Or how Maribelle is always with a parasol."

"Or Gaius with a lollipop?"

"Heh, yeah!" That last one earned a genuine laugh. Gaius always did seem to have a lollipop in his mouth. It was sort of like his trademark whenever they met.

"You get the point though; This coat completes me. Besides, it's actually quite stylish if you ask me." he said, smugly adjusting the hood.

"Riiight. If you're into the whole dark and mysterious look..."

"Takes all kinds, Lissa. Takes all kinds."

Most of the ride to Themis was filled with pleasant conversation. Subjects ranging from various things Lissa took interest in, such as her charity work with the townsfolk and how she had begun dating Ricken a few months back. Although she did take an interest in some of Robin's activities, like how he had joined daily training with Frederick and the many court sessions he attended with Chrom. But most irritatingly was the paperwork. Oh Gods the paperwork. It was always some sort of form that involved troop placement, army supplies, commander assignment. Some days, Robin had half a mind to just set them on fire just to release stress.

"That sounds rough. Would you like me to see if I can find an assistant for you?" Lissa asked.

"No, there's no need. I'm down to my last few forms today. If all goes well, I could finish by tonight and NEVER have to see another form again!" he exclaimed with a look of pure mania. The past eight months of paperwork have left him with a bit of a warped sanity. Sometimes when he slept he pictured words. Endless words. Words jumping from the pages and wrapping around his arms and legs like shackles. Quite an apt analogy, really.

Lissa scooted away from him out of concern and a bit of fear at Robin's buldging eyes. "Are you... Are you going to be okay?" she asked, cringing.

"No. Not really." Robin replied, following a laugh that quickly turned into a light sob. "Those are eight months that I will never get back..." he said.

Lissa scooted over to the other side of the cart, giving a full distance of two feet between then. "Right then. I'm just going to sit over here for the duration of the trip... Unless the carriage man wishes to trade places?" Lissa said, looking at the person in question.

"I must apologize, milady, but my duty is here; not with Sir Robin's deteriorating mental state." he said.

"So. Much. Paperwork..." Robin chanted, with a raspy voice.

* * *

The carriage stopped off in the small square of Themis, with the manor of the Duke not far from the town itself. Robin reached into his coat and gave the carriage man a generous handful of gold. The former-tactician and princess then walked through the town to the manor. Robin looked in awe at the residence. It certainly didn't hold a candle to the palace but it did stand out among the other homes he had seen on a daily basis. This was the first time he had been to Maribelle's home, Lissa on the other hand didn't react in the least, evidence of her long-running friendship with the aristocrat.

Lissa reached up to the hanging metal ring and knocked on the front doors, and in no time, the two were greeted by Maribelle herself. Robin expected some sort of servant or maid to tend to guests, but no complaints would be heard from him.

"Lissa, my treasure! It's been too long!" the noble woman said, immediately wrapping her arms around Lissa without a second thought. Robin chuckled and rubbed the back of his head from experiencing a moment of deja vu; This was almost identical to the first time the two met. Although this time around, Maribelle wouldn't act so cold to him.

After, a returning hug from Lissa, Maribelle turned her attention to Robin."Ah, and Robin, it certainly took you quite a long time to see your good friend, Maribelle, didn't it." she scolded.

Nope. It was pretty much the same.

Robin sighed in exasperation, "Hello, Maribelle." he said with a faint smile. "Is your father in? I've got some important matters to discuss."

"Father? Yes, he is home. Shall I go and inform him that the Grandmaster of Ylisse has come to grace us today?" she said with a shallow grin.

"No no, besides, I'm retired. I have some important matters that Chrom wanted to address, but for reasons he'd like to keep private, he couldn't be here himself." Robin formally responded.

"Sumia's pregnant and big brother can't tear himself away from her at the moment, so he's sending his best pal to pick up the slack." Lissa said with an innocent smile, but her attitude in the response was all but innocent.

"Lissa..." Robin groaned.

"Well he is..." she pouted back.

"I actually came here on my own free time. I just thought Chrom could use some assistance with matters while he caters to other things."

Maribelle escorted the two into her home. "Well whatever the reason be, you are both welcome here. I'll go and inform Father of your arrival, Robin." she said, leaving the princess and former-tactician to themselves as she walked to the Duke's quarters.

Once Maribelle had left the room, Robin gave Lissa a smack on the back of her head. "Ow!" she whined. "What was that for!?"

"Pick up the slack, indeed." he muttered. "You know, there are such things as doing something out of the kindness of one's heart, and not being ordered to do it..."

Lissa over-dramatically rubbed the back of her head and pressed her fingers together. "Okay, I get your point. But hitting my head wasn't very necessary, you know..."

"I admit, it was a little harsh. Just think of it as... payback for the time you thought it was a good idea to slip a live frog down the back of my coat."

"That was over a year ago..."

"Long overdue payback."

Just before Lissa could deliver another smart remark, Maribelle walked back to the pair with her father in tow. He was a full head taller than his daughter and had a very dignified air about him. Although, one could expect no less from the one who fathered Maribelle. Robin stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Good afternoon, milord. I've come to discuss political matters in the stead of Prince Chrom." he said, looking back up at the noble duke.

"Ah, the new Grandmaster of Ylisse. It does my House great honor that you would grace us with your presence. Not as much honor that would come from the prince himself, mind you, but an honor all the same." He said, with a pleased expression.

"I thank you for your kind words, sir. But I have since hung up my coat and serve only as an adviser to the prince. That being said, I have come here, free of orders in his place to discuss matters while he attends some of his own." Robin said, maintaining his own air of lowborn nobility. A gesture that greatly impressed the duke. He had not expected someone so boyish in appearance and speech to speak so calmly in front of a superior.

"I see. Then come, let us adjourn to my study and discuss these matters." The duke walked to his study with Robin following suite, leaving Lissa with Maribelle. The aristocrat guided Lissa to their usual meeting spot for tea, as she did almost every other time Lissa came for a visit.

* * *

"So, Lissa," Maribelle started, resting her tea on a table. "how have things been this past year? We've hardly kept in touch, please tell me what's happened in such a short time." she asked.

Lissa swished a spoon around in her tea and pursed her lips in thought. "Well... Not a whole lot, really. You already know about Robin becoming a Grandmaster. Chrom on the other hand... He's not ready to be the new Exalt just yet. He said in honor of Emm, he wasn't going to take the title just yet, so as far as we're all concerned, he's still a prince. Sumia's been doing fine too. She's been really supportive of Chrom and makes sure to keep him in line. It's actually kind of cute sometimes!" she said with a small giggle.

"I see. And you said Sumia is pregnant, is she? How far along is the girl?" Maribelle asked.

"She's just starting to show. I guess that's about three months, right?"

"If she's beginning to show, then yes, three months sounds about accurate. Honestly, i never expected them to have children quite so fast..."

Before Lissa could respond, Robin walked into the room, with a look of content. "Good afternoon ladies!" he chirped.

"Well, well! I assume the meeting went well then, darling?" Maribelle said.

Lissa narrowed her eyes at the two, when that 'darling' bit was spoken. Didn't Robin say that the two were only friends? Why would Maribelle refer to Robin so affectionately? Unless...

"Hee hee~" Lissa let a giggle fly from her lips.

"Hm? Did I say something funny, Lissa?" Maribelle asked.

Lissa's eyes shot open at her little slip. "Huh? O-Oh! No! Nothing, I was just... remembering something funny someone told me a little while ago. Don't mind me! You two keep talking about... stuff!" she said, quickly taking up her tea and sipping it.

Robin sat down in between the two and clasped his hands together. "Well then. Yes, Maribelle, the meeting went very well. I have to say, I never expected your father to be such an approachable man. I expected noble people to be a bit more stuffy when addressing people of the lower class." he said.

"Hah." Maribelle scoffed. "You'd be right to think so. Most of the nobles tend to see anyone below them little more than dirt on their boots. Father, however knows the value of the lower working class. He is the reason why I've decided to become a magistrate after all."

"Ah! That reminds me!" Robin said, lightly smacking his forehead. "I just received a letter from Nowi yesterday! She says that she misses you dearly, and that she hopes that you are still studying hard."

Maribelle perked up from hearing the word from Nowi. "Oh my! Nowi wrote to you? I assume she is still on her journey to find her parents then?" she asked.

"Yes. It appears so. Last year after my Grandmaster initiation ceremony, she came to me and told me that she was going to look for her parents. I haven't seen her since." Robin felt that odd bittersweet pain in his chest again. Having to think back to Nowi flying away from him was such a blow to him, that just revisiting the memory made him almost want to tear up a little. But knowing that she would return always made him feel better.

"Oh, I see. Well, did Nowi tell you something... of interest, before leaving?" Maribelle asked.

"Of interest?" Robin asked back. "No... Nothing noteworthy... Was she supposed to?"

"Anythiiing... pertaining to certain subjects...?" Maribelle said again, leaning into Robin and looking into his eyes with a hint of knowing. Even so, Robin didn't pick up on what the message was. Nowi only said that she was leaving for a while. Nothing more or less.

"...Did she tell YOU something that she was supposed to tell me?"

Maribelle leaned back into her seat. _'Unbelievable! That little scamp said nothing about her love for Robin!? I'll certainly give her a smack with my parasol the next I see her!' _Maribelle thought, and for good reason; Nowi said she would tell Robin her feelings, having finally been able to admit to them, so why in the Gods name would she withhold something like that? Especially considering she was going to be gone for such a long period of time?

Maribelle stood up and tried to keep calm in such frustrating knowledge. "Robin, can I speak to you... in private?" she asked.

Robin eyed Maribelle in surprise and skepticism. "I suppose. Is there something important you wanted to discuss?" he asked.

"Yes. Very important. Lissa, dear, you just wait here for us to return." she said. When Robin stood up, Maribelle took him by the hand and brought him to a different wing of the manor. Lissa, however was not one to just let them get away, especially not after that 'darling' comment. Sneakily and silently, she followed the two through the house until the two went into... Maribelle's room?

"What are you two snakes up to...?" Lissa whispered to herself, sneaking up to and pressing her ear to the door.

Robin looked around Maribelle's room. He was quite nervous at being in a lady's room. It smelled nice, like the perfume that Maribelle always wore on her. He stopped admiring the room itself and looked at Maribelle who was pacing back and forth. "Okay, Maribelle, what's so important that you had to drag me away?" he finally asked.

The aristocrat stopped moving and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "I just don't understand what is wrong with that girl, Robin..." she said, with a sigh.

"What do you mean? I don't understand..." he responded. He figured she was speaking about Nowi.

"It's just that she can be extremely difficult. I try my hardest with her and she appears to make progress at times, but sometimes... she just irritates me beyond words."

Lissa raised an eyebrow from the conversation. Were they talking about her?

Robin placed a hand on her shoulder and forced her to look at him. "Maribelle, what is going on? Just tell me." he demanded, growing impatient.

Maribelle looked into Robin's dark brown eyes and took a deep breath. "Alright... But before I do, there's... something that i have to tell you. Something that... well, I can never take it back, but I want you to know." she said. Her voice was starting to quiver a bit and her heart was pounding in her chest at what she was about to say.

"Robin... I... I..."

Every single fiber of her being was screaming for her to retreat or direct her sentence elsewhere, but she disobeyed her own mind and struggled desperately.

"I... I'm in love you." she said, squeezing her eyes tight. Her face had turned a bright red, entirely. She suppressed a whimper. She knew Robin didn't feel the same about her, but this was something she couldn't hold within herself any longer.

Lissa's eyes almost shot out of her head. Did she REALLY hear what she thought she heard? Looking left and right for anyone who may be passing by, Lissa ran off quietly back to the previous rooom, speechless, yet excited at hearing what was just said.

Robin, on the other hand was not as enthusiastic. His hand fell from Maribelle's shoulder to his side. For the most part, he wasn't acting negatively towards her. He stared into her blushing and strained face. It was obvious that she had kept her feelings silent for so long, and saying them now was something she didn't intend to do, but had to.

"How long?" he asked plainly. Not excited but also not hostile, with a small hint of comfort.

Maribelle exhaled and clasped her hands together. Her face was slowly returning to it's normal color. "Since the day you rescued me from Gangrel's men that long time ago..." she said, her eyes still closed. She didn't open them for fear of seeing Robin's face. She didn't want to see the look of rejection he probably had for her. "Oh, Robin... I've been in love with you for so long... I intended to tell you much sooner but I couldn't. I didn't have the heart to do it because of..." she trailed off.

"...Because of Nowi?" he finished.

"Yes." she nodded. "Now matter how much I tried to make you fall for me, I simply couldn't do it. Our dance lessons, and all of that? Those were just ploys so that I could be closer to you. I just... I wanted you to see me more as a friend. But when Nowi captured your heart so easily, I realized that there was no place in your heart for me, so I pulled back and let Nowi take that place." A tear welled in Maribelle's eye, even as they remained shut. "In truth... I don't regret my choice. I love Nowi as a sister, almost as much as I do, Lissa. If she is the one that can make you happy, then so be it. Better you be with someone who makes you happy than yearn for another." she said.

Robin's gaze shifted from Maribelle to the floor. He hadn't said a word about his affection for Nowi, yet Maribelle had caught him. "So, you knew then?" he said.

"Of course. You're not very good at hiding your feelings." she said with a chuckle. "Which brings me to the reason why I wanted to speak to you privately." she said, opening her eyes, which were glassy and moist with tears.

Robin looked back up at her, only to look away again, albeit subtly, due to her tears. That was the very look Maribelle was dreading, the look of nonacceptance. But she blamed no one but herself; She chose to open this Pandora's Box, so she would bite the pain and continue.

"Robin... Nowi is in love you as well. Much more than I am." she said, her tears dangerously close to overflowing. "She told me herself that she has fallen madly in love with you and that she was going to tell you before leaving on her journey..."

_'What a mess...' _Robin thought. Robin had been stuck in a love triangle without even knowing, made all the worse by no one saying a thing. Had he just told Nowi sooner and not hesitated, this probably would not have happened. It was just as Chrom said; hesitation will not help you when you harbor feelings for another. And now here he was, standing in front of a friend who suffered from unrequited love, very closely to what he had gone through when Nowi left.

Robin brought himself to look back at Maribelle. Although it was very difficult to look into her eyes, he tried his best. "Maribelle... I'm sorry. I didn't know." he said.

"No. Don't apologize. I already said, I don't regret my choice. And would it even make a difference? I know you love Nowi more than me, and had I said anything, you would still be drawn to her. Am I wrong?" she asked.

She was right, but Robin didn't want to say it to her face. It seemed cold to do. "Listen... I admit it, I do love Nowi. More than anything in the world. but Maribelle, that doesn't mean you_ don't _have a place in my heart." he said, smiling gently.

Maribelle rubbed her eyes dry. "I appreciate the sentiment, Robin, but you don't have to lie to me." she responded.

"Maribelle, when have you ever known me to be a liar? I'm not saying this to make you feel better. I know there's nothing I could possibly do to ease your pain now... But, I would never lie about your influence in my life. Whether you notice or not, I am a better person because of you." he said. "Thanks to you, there are some things that I've learned that help me in life. If I could turn back time, I would still choose you as a close friend. I know that doesn't compete with love but, it's better than us not being friends, isn't it? Our friendship has worth to you, right?"

Maribelle smiled inwardly. Even if Maribelle couldn't have him as a lover, a close friend was still the next best thing. A friendship she would always cherish. She certainly liked the friendship she and Lissa shared. As long as she could still be close to him, it didn't really matter who he would love. It was all she could hope for now, after all.

"Yes. Yes, it does Robin. Our friendship is a special one that I don't regret. Not a single second. And, I'm glad that I was able to tell you my feelings, and still keep you as a friend. That kindness of yours is one of the reasons I... well, _we_ fell in love with you." she admitted, another blush seeing it's way across her face.

"You know, Maribelle, you can be a very caring person." he said. The very comment caught her off guard. "That... seems out of place." she responded.

"No. It's not. This conversation has shown me that. Aside from taking me under your wing to mold into a gentleman, you've also been secretly supporting Nowi, haven't you? You knew Nowi loved me, and you tried your best to make it work between us, despite your own feelings. You're a very good person inside, Maribelle, and any man would be lucky to have you. I just want you to know that." he said, cupping her hand in his.

More tears began to well up in Maribelle's eyes. So much so that she actually began crying. A tear rolled down her face, which Robin caught and wiped away gently with his thumb.

"I'm sorry, for making you cry like this."

"Don't be. I'll be alright." Maribelle wiped her eyes clean and got her composure together. In only a few seconds, she had regained her dignified air and opened the doors to her room. "Now then, we should return to Lissa and conclude this visit. Shall we?" she asked, extending a hand to him. Robin chuckled and followed her.

In the other room, Lissa's mind was racing. She wondered what sort of actions happened between the two... or what _could be happening. _She almost had a mind to get back up and go back to that room to see (or interrupt) what was going on. Before she could muster up the courage to do so, the two walked back into the room. Thankfully, Robin had released Maribelle's hand before entering, lest Lissa get the wrong impression...

Too late.

"Well... Welcome back, you two. Didja have a nice talk?" she said, trying not to look guilty.

"Yes. We had an important talk that we would like to keep between us... and only us." Robin said, giving Lissa a look, mentally telling her he wasn't going to talk about it. "On that note, I think our business is done here. Are you ready to go home, Lissa?" he asked.

Lissa once again narrowed her eyes at the two. "Yeah. I'm ready..." she said suspiciously.

"Eh... right then. I'll go and get us a carriage." he said. He noticed the somewhat hostile stare Lissa was giving him. He walked out of the manor as soon as he could to avoid her gaze. Not that it helped much, as she soon turned to Maribelle, although a little liss threatening.

"Soooo... That must have been some talk, huh?" she asked.

"Yes... Quite some talk. Nothing you need to concern yourself with though." Maribelle responded, reaching for her tea.

"Riiight. Well, I guess I'd better go and catch up with Robin then. I'll see you later, Maribelle." Lissa stood up from her chair and headed for the front door.

"Alright, be safe. And don't be a stranger! Let's not have our next visit take over a year!" she called.

Outside, Robin had hailed a carriage for the two. The sun was already beginning to sink over the horizon, and the sky turned a light purple hue. Robin waited for Lissa, who was running down the cobblestone streets to meet him in the town square. Upon her arrival, Robin opened the carriage door for her and allowed her to step inside first.

"To Ylisstol, please." Robin asked the carriage man. With a crack of the reigns, the two were off. Robin had pulled the same book he was reading earlier that day out of his coat. For the most part, Lissa seemed silent on the ride home.

"Lissa? Are you okay? You've not spoken a word since we left." he asked.

Lissa lifted her chin from her hands. "Huh? Oh, I was just thinking about something."

"Would you like to talk about it?" Robin dog-eared his book, just in case Lissa accepted the offer.

"Well... I kinda... eavesdropped on some of your conversation... with Maribelle" she said, cringing and shrinking in the corner of the seat.

Robin shook his head and sighed in disappointment. It seemed that everyone had an issue with eavesdropping these days. "What did you hear..." he asked flatly, his eyes drifting to the top of the carriage.

"I heard Maribelle say that she loves you and... Well, I've been thinking on what's going to happen now." she said. She was relieved that Robin wasn't mad at her. Chrom would always scold her for eavesdropping on his private conversations.

Robin put his book into his coat pocket and scooted closer to Lissa. "You should have listened to the whole conversation then... Well, you shouldn't have been eavesdropping in the first place but... look, the point is that nothing is going to change, Lissa. Maribelle and i have an understanding. We're still good friends, and we're always going to be good friends."

Lissa twiddled her thumbs together. "Huh. Well... I guess that's too bad then. I thought you two would make a nice couple."

"You really think so, huh?"

"Yeah. You two seemed to always be close to each other. You both like books, and you two just seem to click."

"So, does that mean if I had feelings for Maribelle, would you approve of it?" Robin asked smiling.

"Hmmm..." Lissa thought, sucking in her lower lip. "I guess I would. I sure don't see a problem with it. So, then, if you don't like Maribelle, is there a girl you like?" she asked.

Robin looked out the side of the carriage into the descending sun, which had been obscured by the hills in the distance. "There is. But she's very far away right now. And when I see her again, I'm going to be honest and tell her everything. I had the chance a while ago, but I never took it. So the very next time we meet again, I'm not going to wait any longer." he said, still keeping Nowi's image close to mind.

_'Yes. The very next time I see you, I'm going to tell you everything. So hurry home... Nowi.'_

* * *

**A/N: Oh, finally! Now, before you guys start lining up to throw rocks at my car and windows, I'd like to take a moment to explain why this took so long to update. See, last week, I went on vacation to, ironically, attend a wedding, and earlier this week, some family came to visit me. And THEN I got caught up in Valve's Steam Summer Sale, so there was that... So I barely had time to write this. I only hope that I haven't put off too many people with the extremely late delay. That all being said, thank you guys and gals for your patience. I hope to get back on schedule either this or next week. **


	15. Interlude 7

**A/N: Okay, I've dragged these interludes on long enough. This will most likely be the final one. And to boot, it won't be that long. I'd really like to continue the main story. I know I've badgered and teased you guys enough, and having Nowi be away for the time skip is kind of a kick in the jaw, so it's best we continue the story, because I know that's what you all (and I) want. So, this particular interlude takes place close to the end of the year in late-December.**

* * *

**Interlude 7**

****The gently falling snowflakes and biting cold of the early-winter air was perfectly reflecting on the mind of one particular retired-tactician: Cold and unforgiving. While normally one with an either enigmatic or positive personality, today, Robin was anything but. Today was the day. _Her_ day. A day that he hoped _she_ would be able to attend.

It was in the Royal Family's burial grounds. A place where the great Kings and Queens of old took their final rest. Anri the Great and brave King Marth lay here in this most sacred of ground. Watching, protecting their kin, even in the afterlife. Robin stood alone, in front of the most recent of additions in the burial grounds. In his hand, Robin held a wreath of roses, woven in a circular garland. Even though he had his familiar black coat on, and its hood draped over his silver-white hair, he still shivered from the cold, though more inside than out. Although this day had passed once already, Robin couldn't bare to visit her the first time. It was too hard. This year, he came alone, he wanted total privacy.

He knelt down and gently placed the carefully woven roses onto the grave and bowed his head for a silent prayer. The wind blew gently, causing his coat to billow around him and sending a haunting chill up his spine, moreso than what the weather was already doing. From the outside looking in, it was odd seeing a figure on black against the white of the snow-filled grounds. He almost did look like the Angel of Death that many had rumored him to be.

He looked onto the inscription of the grave and read it silently in his head, his mouth forming the words with no sound.

_Here lies Emmeryn. _

_Exalt._

_Sister._

_Daughter._

_Friend._

_May Naga see you on your way._

__Robin's breath grew slightly erratic, almost as if he would begin to cry at any second. Although he had forgiven himself for not being able to save her, he still wished it could be different. What hurt him deeper than that was how it seemed as if she was meant to die. He recalled Marth, their own Marth, saying that she was meant to die in their era. Although Robin vowed to change history's course, it seemed as if it was meant to be. For the longest time, he questioned _why _it had to be. Was history really so stubborn to stay it's course?

He sighed heavily, relinquishing such thoughts. He promised he would never think of it again. He wanted a clean conscience when approaching her. After all, if she would, she herself would probably scold him for feeling this way. It was how _she _wanted it. Not history.

"H-Hello..." he stuttered, partially from the cold. "Um... I wanted to come and pay my respects today. I wanted to last year but... I couldn't bring myself to do it. I apologize for that. But, I think you'll be happy to know that Chrom is doing very well. He's about to be a father. Heh, Lissa is excited, and... I'm sure you would be too." he said, with a hollow chuckle. "Speaking of Lissa, she's happy too. She sees me as somewhat of an older brother. She's great. Both of them are, really. They were lucky to have you." Robin held his coat closed to protect from the cold a little more.

"Sometimes I... I wonder, if I ever had any family, you know? Chrom has told me about your father... I know about what he's done and the burden it left you with. I just want you to know that Chrom is following your example. He's making sure that everyone is happy, and I'm doing everything in my power to help him." Robin sniffled, his nose growing red. "I never told you this, but you were one of the first people I've emulated when I... well, 'woke up' I guess you could say. I lost my memories, and had a pretty bare perception of right and wrong. When I saw how you would never lift so much as a finger when facing your enemies, I wanted to follow that path. Heh, the irony is that I ended up becoming a military adviser. It's funny how we play the cards we're dealt, huh? But, I'm retired now. I just wanted to come and tell you that; I wanted to tell you that I've since laid down my sword and am helping to mend the scars your father caused. Me and Chrom have been doing very well. I hope, wherever you are, you're watching us build the world you wanted."

Robin stood up when he heard the snow crunching behind him. He turned to see who it was. Everyone had already left hours ago, he was sure no one would need to return.

"You're here all by yourself?" Chrom asked. He was wearing a long blue coat, provided by Frederick for the weather.

"Hello, Chrom. Yes, I'm alone. I was just paying my respects for the first time. What are you doing here though?" he asked, turning to him.

"Looking for you. I've turned the palace upside down looking for you. How long have you been out here?" he asked.

"An hour, give or take." Robin responded, his breath puffing visibly when he spoke.

"Well, I think it's time you came inside. You should see yourself, your face is turning red." he pointed. Robin laughed mockingly at Chrom's comment. He didn't much mind the cold, but he did like that Chrom was looking out for his well being. "Right. I guess I've said all I've had to anyway."

The two walked away from the burial grounds, and the wind died down a little, as if it was only confined to that one area. Chrom looked at Robin from the corner of his eye before looking up at the grey skies and cascading snowflakes. "You know, Emmeryn would have been proud of you. Of all of us." he said.

Robin patted Chrom's back. "I know Chrom. I know. And for the record, I'm proud of you too. You've really done a fine job with rebuilding the Halidome. You are every bit as worth of the title as your sister."

Chrom shook his head. "I don't think so. Not yet anyway. I still feel like I have to determine Ylisse's place in the world. The war from year's past wasn't for glory or honor. It was for protection. I still have a long way to go, but it still means the world that you really think so highly of me."

Robin smiled and nodded his head in agreement. Chrom's humility was one of the reasons he had grown to be such a great ruler. He never thought himself better than anyone, even if he never grew up hungry or cold like some people have.

"Well, when you get there, just remember Lissa, Sumia and I will always be there right behind you. Oh, and there was something that I've been meaning to tell you for quite a while now. It keeps slipping my mind."

The two walked into the halls of the palace, free from the cold, although they elected to keep their coats on to keep warm. Both removed their hoods and Chrom waited patiently for Robin to convey his message.

"Well... Remember a year ago, before you got married? You said that when you love someone, you can't waste time?" he said, scratching his head.

"I believe so..." Chrom responded.

"Heh, you were right. I kind of missed my chance at that." Robin laughed.

Chrom grew a little concerned at Robin's behavior to such a thought. Why was he... laughing at it? "Er... That's bad right? Or, is it funny?" he asked, completely unsure of what it was he was asking.

"A little of both. I look back on it and think of how foolish I was for not speaking up earlier." Robin sighed retrospectively. He had gotten over his melancholy that he was pressed under for months now, yet he still waited patiently for his love to return. It almost sounded like another tragic-romance book that Sumia showed him a while back.

"Oh. Well, I'm glad to see you're... happy?" Chrom questioned. He wasn't sure whether or not it was a bad thing. Robin sure didn't act that way.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not exactly jumping for joy at my mistake, but I just look back on that and find it humorous. The reason why I don't seem very bitter about it is because she made a promise to return back to Ylisse after her travels." he said.

"Ah, she's gone traveling then. So, this woman... do you love her?" Chrom asked, although considering Robin's way of speaking, the answer was probably 'yes'.

"Absolutely. And when I see her, I'm going to stop being so hesitant about it and tell her." The two walked through the halls of the palace together, not going anywhere in particular.

"Well, what made you hesitate in the first place?" Chrom asked.

Robin scratched his temple in embarrassment. "Well, partially because I wasn't sure if she felt the same about me until just a while ago. Also because... It's kind of embarrassing." he said in a hushed tone.

Chrom crossed his arms in intrigue, this was the first he had ever heard of Robin having eyes for another woman, but it was embarrassing for him? "How so?" he asked.

_'I know I shouldn't have said anything...' _Robin thought. "It's... because... Okay, listen, you are the first person I'm going to tell this to, so don't say too much about it. I haven't even told Maribelle about it..."

Now Chrom was confused. "Wait, what does Maribelle have to do with-"

"Long story, I'll share later." Robin interrupted. He exhaled and looked around to make sure no lingering maids were eavesdropping... or most importantly, Lissa. "See, the woman I've fallen in love with was... Nowi. You remember her, right?" he asked.

Chrom looked off to the side, thinking. "Remind me again?"

Robin smacked his forehead in frustration. "The Manakete-girl that we rescued a while ago? While we were still fighting Plegia." he said, in a gruff but lowered tone.

Chrom closed his eyes and search his mind to remember. He did remember a Manakete among their ranks, but he didn't see her much outside of battle, so all he knew of her was her dragon-form. He did, however recall seeing her once or twice. "Ah, you mean the young-looking girl." Chrom finally said.

A blush creeped it's way across Robin's face. "Yes... that's her." he groaned.

"Well, why is that so embarrass- Oh." Chrom started, but realized just _why _Robin didn't say much. "I-I see... I didn't know you were fond of ladies with such... young appearances..." he said.

Robin put his arms up defensively. "It's not like that! Don't forget she's over 1,000 years old, now!" he said, failing to keep his voice down.

Chrom pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow at that comment. "So... you're fond of older women then?" he asked.

Robin's arms fell to his side and he slumped over in defeat. "Chrom... why do you hate me so much...?" he asked.

Chrom shrugged innocently. "Sorry. I'm just having trouble understanding which part is embarrassing. Both are worthy candidates. Either because you are attracted to young looking women or-"

"Stop..." Robin said, holding an open palm up. "saying that..." he finished. "I'm not attracted to her because she looks... young. It's the person inside I've grown to love. I'm only slightly embarrassed because... well, what if one day, I happen to be lucky enough to make her my wife? And one day we're walking around town and people make... -cough- accusations?" he asked, coughing into his hand, avoiding crude wording. "Besides... I've never exactly heard about humans and Manaketes mingling with each other. That could be an entirely different issue." he said.

"Well, personally, I see nothing wrong with this. You're in love with this woman, and if she feels the same way then what should it matter? If that was really a reason for your hesitation, you should just move passed what other people say and follow your heart. For instance, when Emmeryn first became Exalt, even at her young age, the people always feared that she would grow up and follow our father's example. But you've seen how much the people grew to adore her. I'm sure whatever 'accusations' people make will die down in time."

"Yes, I know that now. That's why I laugh at how foolish I was back then. I won't lie though, sometimes that does bother me, but my happiness matters more than what people think." Robin said, standing from his slumped position.

"Well then, now that this is all over, I think we should retire for dinner. We're starting a tradition to have Emmeryn's favorite as a tribute to her on her birthday now."

Robin smiled at the idea. It was nice that they offered appreciation to her even after her passing. "That sounds wonderful. You go on ahead, I'll go and fetch Lissa then." Robin headed off to Lissa's chambers to retrieve her.

"Just one question before you go." Chrom said. Robin turned around to meet his gaze as he asked. "Say, Nowi wasn't a Manakete... and her appearance matched her age. Would you-"

"Chrom?" Robin interrupted again.

"Yes?"

"Stop talking." he said bluntly.

"Well, it's just that if you really fell this way-"

"Chrom. _Please_ stop talking."

Chrom held his right hand up in peace. "Alright, alright... So is that a yes, or..."

Robin narrowed his eyes hostilely, mentally telling him to shut it.

"Stop talking?" Chrom asked with a crooked smile.

"Mmhmm." Robin answered before walking off, refusing to continue this conversation.

* * *

**A/N: Well, say good-bye to these Interludes! This was the last one! Next time, we continue our story. For those of you who've finished the game, you should all know where this is going. For the uninitiated... Let's just say the story (and relationship) is gonna get real. **


	16. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Very good. Now, again!" Frederick barked. Robin rushed towards the lieutenant and artfully matched him blow for blow with their practice weapons. This particular training was quite a bit more intense than usual. After the winter months passed, he redoubled his training regimen to keep the troops in high performance after such a long vacation. Even if they were living in a time of peace, one could never be to cautious. Robin had been improving dramatically in the passed two years with his fencing, able to nearly match Frederick during training. He almost fancied himself as skillful as Chrom, but he was never so arrogant, or foolish, to challenge him to a fight and prove it.

The fight seemed like a stalemate, neither one getting an advantage over the other. Eventually, both men decided to concede. It didn't appear as if anyone would be winning today.

"Ugh, after two years of strict training, you are still far above my level, Frederick. I have to say, I'm almost jealous." Robin admitted, wiping sweat from his brow with his beige sleeve. Not a bead of sweat crossed Frederick however. He still managed to keep his cool under battle. "I should hope so. Don't forget, I've been taking up weapons for more than two years, Robin." he said.

"I know, I'm aware. I just wish I was making some progress though." he said, rubbing his stiffened shoulder.

"Don't be so unsure of progress. You've certainly made plenty leaps and bounds in these short years. Don't you remember when you began training? You could barely stand after two hundred sit ups, and now you can run miles around the palace without running out of breath. Lest we forget, when facing me in a sparring match, you would always end up on your rear within a matter of seconds, and now you can stand up to any soldier under my training. You still have a long way to go if you wish to defeat me, but you'll be hard pressed to find an opponent that can take you down easily." the cold knight then placed a hand on Robin's shoulder. "I know you don't pursuit knighthood, lad, so I'll not push you any further unless you wish it. From today on, I see you as equal to any knight I have faced in my years of service."

Robin looked up to Frederick with a hopeful, but bittersweet feeling. "Does this mean you won't be training me anymore?" he asked.

Frederick smiled and shook his head. "No. I don't think you'll need it any longer. Consider yourself a graduate of my teachings. Not many have, mind you. Most seem to quit after a single cracked rib or dislocated arm."

"Well, believe me, I wasn't exactly begging to continue after my first bumps and bruises..." Those injuries Robin sustained over the years only served to toughen him up. Something he was very grateful for, if nothing else.

"Even so, you continued your training for quite a long time. I couldn't ask anything more from my own men." Frederick pulled his hand from Robin's shoulder into an open palm in front of him for a handshake, which Robin returned. "Well, I suppose this will be it for me today. I'll be in the palace throne room for the rest of the day, as I always am."

"Alright, I'm going to go and wash up. All this sparring works up a sweat. Give my regards to Cordelia, next time you see her."

* * *

In the throne room, Chrom was with Frederick, and, most recently, the general of Regna Ferox, Raimi. The Feroxi general had brought tidings of what appeared to be a potential invasion of Ylisse by the neighboring continent of Valm. Not much evidence was apparent for full confirmation for such a claim, but Chrom had decided to meet with Khan Flavia as per request. It was around this time that Robin walked into the throne room to meet with Chrom for purely recreational reasons.

He noticed the Feroxi general among the company and wondered if something was amiss. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" he spoke up when there was a pause in the conversation. All eyes turned to him, Chrom's especially, who's mood seem to be somewhat dreading when he arrived.

"Ah, Robin. No, it's alright, in fact, it's fortunate that you came. Raimi here was telling Frederick and I about some recent events that... well, concern us, to put it lightly." he said, tapping his foot in contemplation.

"Is it serious?" Robin asked.

"From what I've heard, very."

The mood started to shift into one of a more dramatic and, frankly worrying one. Robin stepped forward, next to Raimi for the full story. "What can you tell me? I'd like to know what's going on. If there's trouble afoot, then it's our responsibility to take action quickly." he said.

"I couldn't agree more. General Raimi, if you would, can you repeat what you've told me to Robin?" Chrom asked.

"Yes, milord." Raimi bowed. "Sir Robin, it's come to our attention that there have been hostile actions spreading across the continent of Valm. Are you familiar with the area?"

"I have read upon it before, yes. What's happened specifically?"

"Well, it seems the emperor of the land has been taking brutal actions against the many nations of the continent. So much so, that the residents have taken to calling him 'The Conqueror.' He has already toppled the nations of Chon'sin and Rosanne, and now we have knowledge that he is planning a full invasion of the Ylissean continent. I have come here as Regnant Khan Flavia wishes to meet with Lord Chrom for a plan of action."

Robin bowed his head and rubbed his chin, his long-dormant, tactical mind springing to life again. Fighting was the last thing he wanted to do, but judging by the unscrupulous actions taking place, another war seemed nearly inevitable. However, it would be a disservice to the memory of Emmeryn if they went to war immediately. Surely they could parley with this so called 'Conqueror'. After all, Ylisse had no business in Valm's problems, selfish as it sounded. "Well... How do you know of the invasion?" he finally asked.

"I... I apologize, milord. But I'm not at liberty to divulge such information at this moment. I was told to withhold such knowledge as leverage for the company of Lord Chrom to meet with Khan Flavia." Raimi lamented. Using such an underhanded technique just to get them to see the Khans. While a bit sneaky, dirty even, Robin knew that something serious would merit such action. He turned to Chrom for his input. "What do you make of it, Chrom? I say we should at least have a meeting."

Chrom began to respond, but silence himself when the doors of the throne room opened. In walked Sumia and Lissa with their newborn daughter cradled in the former's arms. Sumia walked up to Chrom, although her gaze never leaving the sleeping baby. "Chrom, I overheard everything." she said gently, so as not to wake the child.

Chrom ran his right hand through his navy-blue hair, having to make a tough decision in front of his wife and child. "So, what will you do?" Sumia asked, finally facing him.

The prince finally sighed, having come to a decision. "Well, if there is even a hint of danger, it's my responsibility to face that danger, and keep our country safe. So... I'm going to meet with the Khans and see if there is any truth to this." Chrom extended his hands to receive his baby girl and look upon her face. "And, it's not just my country I'm protecting either."

Sumia walked over to Chrom's side to look upon their child's face together. "Then, I'll go with you. Someone has to keep _you _safe too, you know." The baby's eyes slowly opened to its parents, as if she knew of their decision. Chrom looked into her sparkling blue eyes, one which bared the Brand of the Exalt in her left. "But... Lucina is only a few weeks old. She needs her mother now, Sumia..."

"She doesn't need her mother, strictly speaking Chrom, just milk. Lissa told me that you and her were wet-nursed. I don't think it matters from who she receives it from. And besides, Lucina is a strong, healthy child, she takes after you in that aspect. Well, that, and her Brand." Sumia placed her hand on the soft curled, blue locks on Lucina's head, stroking them gently. "So, I'm going with you. And that's all there is to it. She is my child too." she insisted.

Lissa giggled at seeing Sumia take some authority over her big brother. "Face it, Chrom; There's no 'buts' about this one. Sumia's got ya wrapped around her finger!" she said, imitating a whipping sound to further her point. Even Robin couldn't help but chuckle under his breath.

Chrom just rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Alright, then I believe we're done here. General Raimi, tell Flavia I'll meet with her tomorrow. Me and my company of Shepherds will travel to Ferox within the afternoon." The iron-clad general bowed respectfully. "Thank you, milord. I'll be off then. We eagerly await your arrival."

Once Raimi left the throne room, escorted by Frederick, everyone thought of what could possibly happen in the future. War was the very last thing on their minds right now. Specifically, Robin and Chrom were more troubled than anyone else. Chrom certainly did not want to start another campaign and lose time with his new-born daughter, and Robin had just helped in ending a war previously and rebuilding Ylisse with Chrom and Lissa. He didn't want all of that hard work to be lost. However, if they did nothing, this possible invasion could still ruin all that they worked for. Regardless of what he wanted, he would still faithfully follow Chrom into battle if he only asked. Thankfully it seems like Chrom wasn't looking into jumping into a fight from the get go, so there was still hope.

Robin sighed in resignation. "Well, I guess that's that then. I have to say Chrom, you sure have grown in these past two years. Not just as a father, but as a leader." Chrom half-smiled at the comment. "Have I really changed so much?" he asked. "Well, in some ways, you haven't, and I'm grateful for that. But if we indeed must go to war, I just want you to know I'll be behind you, 100%."

"Me too!" Lissa chirped.

"And me as well." Sumia said.

"And, I too, milord." Frederick said, having just walked back into the room.

"Right then. Thank you everyone. We should rally the Shepherds now. Let them know we leave in a matter of hours." Chrom said, his confident, commanding voice returning

"Yes sir!" everyone responded, simultaneously.

* * *

True to Chrom's word, he and his band of Shepherds had rallied together and traveled to Regna Ferox. Chrom had brought along his familiar white cape that he wore during the previous war as a good luck charm. Robin, despite his Grandmaster status, elected to bring his familiar black coat for the cold weather. The weather was less harsh around this time of year, though, and travel was much easier than intended. Most of the Shepherds had attended the trip, while others were off in other parts of the world. Vaike and Panne had yet to be contacted and Gregor was off elsewhere with Olivia, lending their services as sell swords. The small company of warriors approached Khan Flavia's fortress, though only Chrom, Robin and Frederick were allowed into the private meeting.

Inside the throne room of East Ferox, Flavia was relieved to see Chrom and his group come on her terms, having been on eggshells about their attendance with suck insubstantial information she let them hear. Once they approached the barbarian leader, she called for her 'insignificant other' to attend.

"Oaf! Where are you, you big bald- Chrom is here!" she shouted, prompting Robin and Chrom to jump a little. Frederick, remained unfazed. "Yeah, yeah, don't get your smallclothes in a knot, dammit!" shouted a booming voice back. The hulking former-ruling Khan strided into the room. "Ah, well good to see you again, boy. I assume you're hear to discuss our move against Valm?" he asked.

"Of course, they are, oaf, why else would-"

"Just a moment." Chrom interrupted. "We won't be discussing much further until you tell us just how you know about the supposed invasion of Ylisse that we were told about."

"Ah, right. About that. First let me extend my apologies for withholding such information. I know it wasn't easy making a decision to come here with knowledge being kept from you." Flavia said. "Now, as for how we got our information; We were informed from a resident of Valm who fled the their war-torn home and came to inform us of what The Conqueror was planning. I believe you've already met.

Chrom and Robin looked at each other in curiosity. Who could they possibly know that had such information?

"My, my! So good to see the new King of Ylisse and my good friend, Robin. How are you gentlemen doing today?" rang a haughty voice.

"Virion." Robin and Chrom said simultaneously in a mix of surprise and annoyance. In stepped Virion, followed by Tharja, and a tall pink-haired woman in an outfit not unlike a maid's. "Greetings, my friends!" he spoke.

"Virion? You're a resident of Valm?" Chrom asked in disbelief. He never spoke of his homeland in particular, just that he had a war to end. He thought he was talking about an area in the Ylissean continent. "Yes, it is true, humble Virion is more than what he appears. Brace yourselves, for I, Virion, the archest of archers are, in reality-"

"May I introduce, milord Duke Virion of Rosanne." said the pink-haired woman with a cheerful smile.

"Ah, Cherche! You stole my line..." Virion pouted. Tharja only scoffed at the man's obsession with theatrics. Her mind was on Robin, who she covertly peered at through the corner of her eye, trying to remain disinterested and aloof. In truth, he was a large pull factor for wanting to come here in the first place. She was content to just residing in Plegia while Virion, who she married over the course the past two years, attended to things in Ferox.

"Thank you, milady. And you are...?" Robin asked.

"Hello, Sir Robin, you may call me Cherche. I serve Duke Virion as a caretaker and his loyal retainer. If you wouldn't mind, I'll be the one to deliver our information."

"That would probably speed things along, thank you Cherche." Chrom said.

"Quite the woman, no? Almost as charismatic as-"

"If I may continue, Duke Virion." Cherche interrupted once again. "I'd like us to finish this meeting before sundown." she said, maintaining her smile. "Now then..."

* * *

_Elsewhere..._

The wind blew gently across the grassy fields of the small village. Men, women and very few children wandered through the paths from home to home, speaking with friends or trading goods with each other. On the far side of the village, two figures stood in silence in the cemetery that stood on a small hill just a few yards away from the residents. One of the figures was none other than Nowi, who had traveled far and wide searching for her parents. The other figure was an elderly one, draped in a red cloak that obscured nearly his entire body, save for his aging face. He was also a Manakete, though countless millenniums older than Nowi.

"I know that no words on this earth can ease your pain, but for what it's worth, your parents loved you until their dying breath." spoke the elderly Manakete. Nowi crouched down in front of the twin graves and pressed her hands against the smooth surface of them both. "I know." Nowi said, in a hushed voice. A tear slowly rolled from her eyes, down her cheeks and dropped into the soil below. "I just... I just wish I could have seen them one last time, you know? I had so much to tell them... So much I wanted to say, to do..."

The elderly Manakete placed a hand on Nowi's head. For a moment, he was brought back to days of old, when he was friends with another Divine Dragon, not too unlike the one that stood before him. Such nostalgia made him almost want to laugh at those days, but he suppressed it out of respect. "What do you intend to do now, child? Were you not on this journey to seek out your mother and father?" he asked.

Nowi bowed her head, offering one last prayer to her parents. "I guess there's nothing for me _to do _now, but to return back home to where I belong." she responded. She stood up and dusted her knees off. "I have people who mean the world to me waiting to see me again. I want to be there and live with them as long as I can." she said.

The elderly Manakete let his hand drop from Nowi's head and held both of his arms peacefully behind his back. "I see. Then you must make haste. I've a feeling they may need your assistance in the future..." he said, looking skyward. Nowi looked into the sky as well, wondering what had caught his eye. "You think they're in trouble?" she asked.

"I don't claim to know anything. However, I feel... a stench in the air. One I knew of long ago. A stench I had thought was purged from the world... The scent of death..." he said, his eyes closing shut and a look of foreboding etched in his face. Nowi grew worried of this 'scent of death' her companion spoke of. "What does it mean? Has someone died?" she asked, holding her breath, hoping no one she knew was gone.

"No... That is not it... I sense something rising in the air. Call it an old Dragon's intuition. This being said, you should return home to your loved ones."

Nowi sighed and rubbed her thumbs over the smooth surface of her dragonstone. It had been just over 2 years since she left on her journey. Now that she found what she was looking for, it was time to return home, where she belonged. "Yeah, I miss them a lot. Thanks for traveling with me, it was nice to have another dragon-friend." Nowi said, looked up to the tall, elderly Manakete.

"It was my pleasure. It brought back fond memories of when I used to care for another. In any case, your destination is Ylisse, correct?" he asked. Nowi nodded in approval. "You are quite fortunate, we are very close to the continent, separated only by a small body of water. If you would return there, then fly east of this direction. It should not take you anymore than three days."

"Okay, thanks. Are you going to come with me there too? You'd probably like it in Ylisse." Nowi asked, palming her dragonstone. "I'm afraid not. I would much rather continue traveling the world and watching over fellow dragons such as I." he responded. Nowi looked at him with a begging face, as if she didn't want to leave him just yet, but she wouldn't pry any longer. "Alright. Thanks again for the help."

Nowi held her dragonstone aloft and transformed into her dragon-form. Before taking off, she turned to her friend one last time. "Hey, I never asked for your name this whole time. Can you tell me?" she asked. The old Manakete chuckled at her request.

"You may call me Bantu."

* * *

"...for now, that is all we know. And judging by the direction in which the ships were sailing, it's possible that they will dock at Port Ferox in a matter of time..." noted Cherche. "So, will you consider helping us fend off the Valmese, milord?" she asked.

Chrom rubbed his forehead in frustration. "I can't believe this..." he said under his breath. "As much as I hate to say it... we could be seeing another fight. If the Valmese are as hostile as you say, then I guess we don't have a choice. However, we will still make an attempt to parley with them."

"As you wish, Sire. Lord Virion and Mistress Tharja have also offered to lend their services, should things go for the worst."

"Thank you. We need all the help we can get just in case."

"So, boy, what should our move be?" Basilio asked, crossing his large arms.

"I vote we head off to the docks as soon as possible to prevent any casualties. I don't know what these barbarians are capable of, and I don't want to risk them ransacking the port town." Chrom turned to Robin and Frederick. "We leave in an hour. Let everyone know the situation and to be ready at the drop of a hat."

"Yessir." the tactician and knight responded, turning to leave the throne room.

"Hmph. A fine company of men you have, boy. I'm impressed!" Basilio laughed. "Be sure to give Flavia some pointers when this whole mess is over." Flavia only scoffed at the comment. "Well then, I'd better go and rally my own troops for a fight. Come on, oaf, be useful for a change." she demanded, pulling him along by the fur on his collar.

"Well then. I guess that's our cue to leave. Virion, Tharja, it's nice to see you two again. Let's all go and join the Shepherds and prepare for whatever may come." Chrom said.

Cherche stayed in the throne room while her Lord and his wife followed after Chrom. "You three go ahead of me. I've got to go and find Minerva. I worry too much when she flies off alone." she said.

"Fly...?" Chrom asked. "Is Minerva perhaps a Pegasus?"

"No, Sire, Minerva is a-"

"Enough talk, let's get going so we can see Robin... and everyone else too." Tharja said, pushing passed the two men.

Taking the hint, even if a little rude, Chrom and Virion left Cherche to her business while they left. Tharja kept ahead of them as they walked to the Shepherds that waited just outside the gate. Everyone was all ready to get a move on, prepared for the worst, but hoping for the best.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter took a tiny bit longer to make out. Partially because I got lazy at one point and also because I came back and added a side of the story with Nowi that wasn't originally there. I figured Nowi needed an update on her activities just before she came back. I think the chapter is better off for it, so no harm done. **

**I'd also like to thank you guys for reading this story. It's been about 2 months since I started it and it's gotten over 12K views and is very close to 100 reviews! You guys are great and I hope you continue to enjoy the story. And a special thanks to those of you who take the time to PM me about things. Some of you give me great ideas for future chapters, while other times it's just nice to know people appreciate my work. **


	17. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

After the meeting at East Ferox, Chrom and his company of Shepherds immediately headed off the the west towards the port. The road was quite long and a bit rough with the rocky paths lining the way. After almost an entire day of traveling, the army had arrived at the port-town. The sun was beggining to set, but it would still be hours until dark. Hopefully they weren't too late.

Upon their arrival, the usually bustling town was vacant. This was a port-town, the streets should have been rampant with fish markets, fighermen, and other such activities.

"Something's wrong here..." Basilio said, looking left to right, street to street. Not a soul to be seen. "This town is usually abuzz with people. Where did everyone go?" A pit started forming in the center of Robin's stomach as he came to a realization. "Oh no..." Robin thought aloud. Chrom turned to look at his tactician upon hearing that foreboding murmur, but Robin had already started running to the direction of the main port. "Robin! Wait!" he called, chasing after him. The army followed suit as the prince and tactician ran to the port.

Running into the docks, Robin's fears were realized: The Valmese army had already landed. One ship carrying doezens of men stepped from the boat onto the port, ransacking some of the business stands and chasing away the citizens. One of which were captured and held hostage. Chrom was set to reason with these ruthless men, but before getting a word in, the general of the force promptly killed the elderly man right in front of his eyes, and tossed his bleeding body into the sea.

"Gods... Do these people have no morals...?" Chrom growled, through gritted teeth. The general then turned directly to Chrom, pointing his lance at him, while astride his stead. "Prince of Ylisse! We come baring the message of our Emperor! He demands that you lay down your arms and surrender the Fire Emblem and your Kingdom to him! Cooperate now, and you shall all be spared! Refuse... and you shall end up just like that old man."

Robin looked to the prince for any sort of support. "Chrom...?" he asked. Chrom stepped forward, to speak with the general, though keeping ample distance from his already deployed troops. "General of Valm, is there no peaceful way we can settle this? Ylisse means you no harm or bares ill will. I ask that we settle this peacefully and prevent anymore bloodshed."

"There shall be no parley with us, Prince. Either you give up your land and live, or foolishly take up arms and die!" spat back the general. Chrom exhaled, completely out of options. The man said so himself this would not end peacefully. The time had come for the Shepherds to take up their steel once again.

"Shepherds, prepare for battle!" Chrom called. Almost instantly, his army rode to his side, weapons in hand, ready to protect their home. The general merely sneered at them from atop his horse. "Heh, so the Ylissean dog wishes to fight. Just know that you are what lead your men and country to destruction! Men, take them! Bring me that prince's head on a spear! First to kill that cocky dastard gets 20,000 gold!" The Valmese soldiers instantly discontinued their destruction of the harbor and turned their sights to the Shepherds. Robin stepped forward, to Chrom's side and darted his eyes from left to right, and all around the entire venue. The opposing forces consisted mostly of heavy armored knights and a frightening amount of Wyvern Riders and horseback cavaliers. This would surely be a tough fight, as they had a movement advantage over them.

"Frederick, Stahl, Sully, to the front! Everyone else, pair up and suppress their movement!" Robin barked, his sense of battle fully returning to him. A familiar sense that he was both glad he had not lost, but dreaded that he would call upon it again. "Sumia, stay with Cordelia and draw fire away from our units on foot. I'll stay with Chrom and we'll make for their leader. If we can take him out, it may encourage the rest to give up and leave." Sumia saluted and flew her Pegasus over to Cordelia and the two prepared to take flight over the battlefield.

Before the troops mobilized, a shadow was cast upon the harbor, followed by a loud screech. Everyone looked up to see a wyvern flying overhead, landing near the Shepherd's line of defense. Atop the beast was none other than Cherche herself, confidently taming the wild reptile. "Easy, girl." she said, petting the rough hide on the head of her mount. "Milord, I am not late, am I?" she asked, with her ever-present smile. "My Minerva is just waiting for a fight!" Chrom looked upon the maid, who rode upon the beast with elegance and intimidation. _'So this is Minerva.'_ he thought. "Don't worry, you've made it right on time." Cherche bowed in respect and "Don't worry about directing me, Sir Robin, I'll keep to the skies and watch over Queen Sumia and Lady Cordelia." Cherche said. Robin nodded in approval, and the three wing-bound women took to the skies, acting as a signal for the battle to begin.

Immediately, the fight grew to brutal heights: The Valmese army was not to be trifled with. Already the advantage they had over the Shepherds was becoming apparent, and casualties were almost an inevitable possibility. Ricken nearly had his head taken off, while Lon'qu and Virion had already gotten a rough cut from just barely dodging swords and axes. Thankfully, Lissa was on the job with her staves handy, and with tome in hand, was able to keep herself and the wounded protected. Fortunately, Frederick, Stahl and Sully were doing great in defending their fellow troops. With the help of Sumia, Cordelia, and their new Shepherd Cherche, Robin and Chrom, although roughed up on the way, made it to the edge of the harbor, and made their way up the gankplank of the general's ship. The troops aboard were successfully distracted off their posts through Cordelia, giving the tactician and prince a clear shot at their general.

"Dammit! All those men are useless! If Emperor Walhart were here, they would not have been so easily shaken from their position!" he growled. Once Robin and Chrom stood before him, the general girded himself and held his spear in a defensive position. A fight against a general of such a strong army, and his stead would not make for an easy battle. "You've one last chance to leave Ylisse, or we will cut you down!" Robin warned, clutching an Elthunder tome, and his injured left arm. "Hah! Look at you, throwing orders around when you can barely keep yourself standing! Death from me would be a favor compared to what Emperor Walhart would do to you!" Robin grunted in frustration; He was injured, probably enough to allow the general to move against him, but he wasn't going to show weakness just yet. "You forget, he's not alone, general." Chrom said, still clutching Falchion proudly, despite his wounds. "Perfect, he'll have a companion on his way to Hell!" The general quickly swung his long spear at Chrom, who blocked skillfully and maneuvered around his horse.

Chrom attempted to attack from the back, but as he ran up for a strike, the general caused his horse to kick the prince square in the chest, with enough force to knock him out cold and off over the side of the ship and onto the hard wooden ground of the dock, leaving Robin to fend for himself. "Chrom!" Robin yelled, "Get up!" The general, with a sadistic smirk rose his spear up to finish off Robin. "This was the man who felled the Mad King? Pah! Say hello to him down there for me, boy!" he laughed.

"Oh, no ya don't!" called a figure from the rooftops. Whoever he was, he was unidentifiable from his body contrasting against the low sun. Whoever he was, he was riding on some sort of animal. Not a horse, it was too small. The figure leaped from another rooftop and onto the crow's nest of the ship then, brandishing an axe, jumped down with a triumphant yell, "ENTER THE VAIKE!" and slicing his axe down upon the general in one grisly swoop. Robin held his free hand in front of his face to protect himself from stray droplets of blood hitting his face. When he opened his eyes, he saw the general dead and bloodied, and his horse, startled and running off the ramp of the ship and into the battlefield, which distracted the enemy soldiers, giving an opening for the Shepherds to take them out. Robin looked up at the figure and called out in surprise, "Vaike! Panne! I can't believe it!" The cocky axeman dismounted the proud Taguel and and rested his axe on his shoulder. "Aw, ogre's teeth, man! Yer gettin' rusty there, Robin. It's not like ya to get scratched up like that. Looks like ol' Teach is gonna have to give ya so'more sparring lessons!" Panne, not one to gloat focused her glowing-red eyes on the battlefield. "Vaike, boast later, now, we must help our fellow warriors." she said in her familiar cool demeanor. "I gotcha, hon. Robin, you look after Chrom, leave the rest to us, yeah?" Vaike said, jumping from the ship onto the dock with Panne and speeding towards the battle.

* * *

After the brutal fight, everyone was battered and bruised, alive, but still beaten pretty badly. It seems that the Valmese were more stubborn than Robin anticipated, they refused to give up the fight, even with their general defeated. Lissa finished healing up everyone, finishing up with Chrom and Robin, who suffered a few shattered ribs and a crippled arm, respectively. Thankfully, Chrom's bones were mended back together, and Robin could move his arm again, although he carried a large scar; a testament to the strength of the foes he faced today. The sleeve of his coat was also damaged, a large tear from the shoulder to the elbow. He rubbed the rip tenderly, bemoaning his beloved coat's damage.

"Well, that... that was a lot worse than what I anticipated..." Robin said. The East and West Khans came upon the port town, and to the Shepherds. "We've lost a few of our soldiers in a fight that erupted in town. Thankfully we've repelled them from traveling anywhere else in Ylisse. We should be safe now, but only for the time being." Flavia said, completely disregarding a scar she received on her arm, only treating it with a roughly wrapped bandage. "You all look like you've been to Hell and back."

"That's not too far from what could have happened." Robin commented. He had nearly been scared to death when Chrom took that fall. "But we still managed to make it through okay." Flavia took note of the bodies lying around the harbor, yet none of the Shepherds joined the count. "Impressive, Robin. This is the first you've faced the Valmese and you managed to best every one of their units with no casualties." she said, rubbing her chin. Robin only shook his head. "I don't deserve all the credit Khan Flavia. I'm sure everyone here fought just as hard, if not harder, than I did."

"Without a doubt. But without your guidance, everyone would have been crushed under such numbers." Even though Robin couldn't accept such compliments, everyone else agreed that Robin was the mastermind behind this victory. "Alright, I get it, I'm an okay tactician." he said, smiling a little. "Funny, I thought you graduated from 'tactician' long ago." Chrom said. "Oh, Chrom! Good to see you're okay. You took a nasty fall and I feared the worst..." Chrom punched Robin's shoulder, though in a sarcastic, non-threatening manner. "I fought against the Mad King one-on-one. Do you really think I'd be done in by some fool on a horse?" he asked. "But, let's cut the banter short for now, it looks like we have another war on our hands here... What should we do now?"

Robin thought on another plan of action. The Valmese Emperor would surely not roll over and give in after something like this. No, in fact, he may launch an attack against the rebellion. If that was the case, then this meant they had to strike first. "Well..." he said, rubbing his chin in thought. "It seems like they have the advantage on land... So, I suggest we attack them at sea... and then, we attack them directly on their home turf." Robin said, tapping his foot when he spoke the second option. The Khans and Chrom thought for a moment on the decision. It was a good plan to be sure. Going after the enemy while they were in their home, a preemptive strike, would make it a lot easier. The problem was the ships needed for such a voyage. And if they were indeed going to war, they would also need funding. Ylisse would barely be able to provide such an amount without sending the kingdom into poverty.

"I've got an idea..." Robin said. "But... Chrom's not going to like it..." Chrom raised an eyebrow at his hesitation. "What does this idea entail, exactly?" he asked. Robin scratched his head and cringed inwardly. "We... We reach out to Plegia for assistance..." he said. As quickly as Chrom's curiosity came, it disappeared. "AbsoLUTELY not!" he shouted, prompting some of the Shepherds to turn heads. "Chrom, I know you don't have a very good history with Plegia, but think about this rationally: They control the trade routes from Valm to Ylisse, and they were able to pay reparations to Regna Ferox after the war and still manage to rebuild in a matter of two years."

Chrom folded his arms defiantly. "I... I still don't like it." he grunted, almost appearing childish. Basilio, in his intimidating form folded his arms as well, not in defiance but disappointment. "They have GOLD boy! AND ships. Without their help, we've a fart's chance in a windstorm." he said. Flavia hid her face behind her hand and shook her head in embarrassment. "As much as I hate to say it, Chrom, he's right. Crude, but right. It doesn't seem we have a way around it. Plus, I don't think it would be wise to doubt Robin now of all times." she insisted.

Chrom's face contorted as if he swallowed a lemon in one gulp. "Gah... Alright... I'll have Frederick send word to Plegia for a meeting... But I STILL don't like it..." he whined.

* * *

The next morning at early dawn, Frederick had received a response from the new King of Plegia. Once he brought the news to Chrom, the army was off. Chrom had wanted to get this meeting over and done with as soon as possible, hence the early morning trek. Thankfully, the area in which they were supposed to meet was not Plegia Castle, but Carrion Isle. A small islet located south of Port Ferox and was only about a day's worth of travel. If all went well, the Shepherds would be back in Port Ferox in no time. During the entire ride in the convoy over to Carrion Isle, Chrom still looked displeased at asking for help from a former oppressor. He looked as if someone had said something rude or offensive to him, though one could hardly blame him. Robin was silent for the entire ride over, just content with reading books on advanced tactics, as he used to.

Hours upon hours later, the army had reached the bridge that linked the main continent to the small island. In contrast to most of Plegia, it was well forested, with trees dotting most of the area. Past the thin forest path lay a small fortress in the heart of Carrion Isle. "I believe this is the place, milord." Frederick said, stopping the convoy around the building. "It appears the night will be upon us soon. I suggest we camp here for now."

While the SHepherds set up their tents and prepared a nightwatch, Chrom, Frederick and Robin all stepped into the fort for their meeting. The inside of the building was well constructed, with a plush burgundy carpet lining the floor. The lack of adequet lighting gave it a somewhat eerie feel though. A round table stood towards the back. It seems that this place was used for Plegia's meetings, but why would they need to be held in such an out of the way location? The trio stood patiently, waiting for someone to meet them, when from out of the darkness rang an almost sensual voice, "Good day, milord." Aversa, the late King Gangrel's former adviser. Chrom was utterly surprised at seeing her pale face again. He thought she disappeared after the previous war. "Aversa? What... what are you doing here?" he asked.

The darkly dressed woman giggled innocently, covering her mouth with her skinny fingers. "It seems fate has plans for me yet." she answered. Just as Chrom was about to demand answeres, another figure stepped forward. This man had a foreboding aura surrounding him. Robin's eyes couldn't help but be drawn to this man, there was something... odd about him. He wore the garb of a Plegian Sorcerer, and wore the crown that Gangrel once donned.

"Well, well, Prince Chrom, I presume? Greetings." said the new King. His voice was raspy and heavy, almost like a growling beast. "May I introduce, new King of Plegia: King Validar." Aversa announced, standing next to the King. Chrom bowed in respect to Validar. "Well met sire." Now that Chrom got a good look at him, something seemed awfully familiar about this man. "Uh... Beg pardon, milord, but have we met somewhere?" he asked. Validar frowned and stroked his pointed beard. "I don't believe so..." Chrom subconsciously cocked his head to the side. Something was extremely familiar about this man. That's when it hit him, he HAS seen this man before.

"Gods! It can't be!" he shouted. Everyone turned to Chrom, in his shock. Robin continued looking at Validar, and he realized the same think Chrom did: This was the very same man that attempted to assassinate Emmeryn, over two years ago! But... this couldn't be right. Chrom killed that assassin, he saw so himself... Could he really be the same man?

_'Psst. Robin...'_ Chrom whispered.

_'I know... It's him...' _Robin whispered back, trying to not move his lips too much.

_'But... how? We killed him, didn't we?'_

"Mmm, my , my, so much whispering and the negotiations have yet to begin." Validar said, narrowing his eyes at Robin. Chrom stood up straight and cleared his throat. "Pardon us, Your Majesty. We mean no disrespect."

"Well then, let us get right to business. Your knight has informed me of a possible invasion upon our continent, and correct me if I'm wrong, but you were hoping to use Plegia's resources to fund the war campaign, were you not?" Chrom nodded. "Yes Your Majesty. I understand that Plegia and Ylisstol don't have a very good history with each other, but I wish for us to put the past behind us and focus on our future."

Validar stroked his pointed beard again. "I could not agree more, noble Prince. And in light of the situation, I have decided to aid you in full. To begin, we can provide 800 ships and 200 transports for your army. In addition, I am prepaired to fully fund the campaign avainst Valm." Everyone was taken aback by the sheer generosity that Validar offered. Frederick stepped forward to have his own word. "Milord, you offer us all your assets, we could not ask for more... Quite literally. Are you certain you wish to invest so much into this war?" he asked. The Plegian King nodded and smirked, "Such an investment is nothing when compared to what destruction could be caused to our home. However, I must express my regret in not being able to supply you with troops, Prince. Our army is still in shambles after our last war."

"It's alright, Sire. I have my band of soldiers, plus the forces of Regna Ferox supporting me. We will humbly accept the transportation and gold for the war effort, nothing more."

"Excellent. Though, I ask now that you give us time to prepare our transports and ships. Such a matter would entail rerouting trade routes and clearing sea roads for your travel along the Plegian and Feroxi coast. Such a matter takes a while, you understand. Thus, I ask that you give us three months for the ships be be usable."

Chrom bit his lower lip. Three months was a bit of a hefty deadline, by that time, Valm could invade again. But as it stood, there was no other way to get such services. So, Chrom had no choice but to accept it. He extended an arm out to shake hands and conclude the meeting. "Alright Sire. We humbly accept your offer, and you have Ylisse's gratitude." Validar returned Chrom's handshake. "I look forward to building a strong future between our countries, Prince Chrom." he said.

"Well, if that is all, I must return to Port Ferox and begin thinking things over for this war." Chrom said, turning with his men to leave. "Oh, so soon? You haven't even met our special guest yet." Aversa mock-whined.

Chrom turned again, facing the two. "Hm? Who would that be?" he asked. Validar's closed his eyes and smiled, a look of content written on his visage. "He is a Hierophant, of the highest order, I should say."

"Ah, I see. Your Majesty, I have heard that you are Grimleal, are you not?" Frederick asked.

"Indeed, he is." Aversa answered. "In fact, it was King Validar's beliefs that got him through the troubling times when Gangrel was dethroned."

As if on cue, a figure walked into the room, wearing a dark coat... a coat almost exactly the same as Robin's. Most likely a coincidence, he thought. "So, you lead the people in religion, sir?" Robin asked. The hooded figure didn't speak. He did stare in the direction at Robin and chanted... a very disturbing line, as if it were some sort of incantation.

"The Heart still beats weakly, but the blood that flows through it is strong indeed..." he murmured, in a hushed but deep voice.

"Uh... Excuse me, sir... Were you talking about me?" Robin asked. Still no response from the man.

Frederick cleared his throat. "Good Hierophant, I ask that you remove your cowl. In Ylisse it is considered respectful in the face of royalty."

The hooded man's head shifted to Frederick. "You are a long way from Ylisse..." he said, sounding annoyed. Despite this, Frederick's equally annoyed gaze made him consider revealing himself. "...Very well..." Slowly, he removed the hood of his coat revealing an all too familiar face. The second he showed his face, everyone, specifically, Chrom, Robin and Frederick reeled in absolute shock and disbelief, and for good reason. Tan skin, silvery-white hair, brown eyes... He was a carbon copy of Robin in every possible way.

"Is this better?" the Robin look-alike asked in a bored tone. The real Robin stood with his jaw gaping. He refused to blink his eye for fear this phantom would disappear, but no matter how long he stared, his mind couldn't comprehend what he was looking at.

"What sorcery is this!?" Chrom demanded. "Who is that man?" The doppleganger only chuckled at Chrom's outburst. "Why, my name is Robin... I suspect that might be your name as well? What are the odds..." he asked, extending his hand to the _other _Robin. Validar scratched his chin with his elongated fingernails, looking at the twins. "Hmm... That IS odd, now that I think about it... Are you two related by chance?" he asked. Robin continued to stare, and he could have sworn he saw his double's eyes glow for a brief second. That chilling smile wasn't helping to avert his gaze either.

Chrom crossed his arms, staring angrily at the second Robin, "Alright, I want answers: Who is-" "I'm sorry, milord, but we don't have much more time to spend here. We've very important matters to take care of. You have your ships and gold for the war, and we will send one of ours to Ylisstol when preparations are complete." Aversa interrupted, stepping in front of Validar and the second Robin. "Oh, and please be careful when returning back to Port Ferox. The highroads can be quite trechorous this time of year."

Chrom clenched his fists, but eventually figured that for the time being, he didn't WANT to know about this twin Robin. He had more important matters to attend to himself anyways. Without saying a word, he turned his back on the three and walked out. Frederick and Robin followed him, but Robin could feel that mysterious double watching him the entire time, sending a haunting chill up his spine. He knew, deep down in his soul, he would see this twin again. But for now, he only wanted to distance himself from this... thing and return to camp.

* * *

**A/N: Well, normally I'd put a big spoiler sign up here, but c'mon, if you guys n' gals are here, chances are you've played and beaten the game, right? Also, hooray for Vaike and Panne returning! :D**

**(God I suck at writing battles... I feel like i can never write them justice...)**


	18. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

_Darkness. Darkness everywhere. Suffocating, blocking his every sense. Robin was completely swallowed in nothing but an inky black veil of darkness. He could only see himself and nothing and no one with him. He looked around, floating in the darkness until he saw another figure, standing just before him. It was him. No. Not him. It was that double of his._

_Panicked, Robin tried to run, but couldn't move. His body floated in place, refusing to even turn away. The double did not speak. He stepped ever closer to him, lifting up his right hand and pulling back the sleeve of his coat. On the back of his hand was Robin's birthmark. An odd purple symbol that looked like six eyes staring back at him. It was on him when he awoke in the fields, and thought it may have been a Brand, just like Chrom's. The symbol on the double's hand began to glow ominously, and finally, he heard him speak. He did not speak as he did. It was a low, distorted version of his own voice._

_"Open your heart to Me..."_

Robin's eyes shot open and he was drenched in sweat. He sat up, panting heavily, and looking around his tent to make sure no one was in there with him. He looked on the back of his right hand at his birthmark. Even though he knew about it, he was finally 'aware' of it, such as a human realizing when they breath. His heart was beating fast his entire body was shaking. That didn't seem like a dream, it was more like... a message. An oracle, one could say. With such a fright, it was near impossible for him to get back to sleep. He stood up from his bedroll and grabbed his coat, sliding it on over his beige shirt. He stuck his head out of the flap in his tent, to see if the nightwatch was around. He didn't want to stir up anything. When the coast was clear, he stepped out into the late-Spring night. The moon was at the very center of the sky.

Walking quickly but carefully, Robin sneaked away from the camp grounds. He wanted to just walk and get tired enough that he had no choice but to fall asleep. As he walked farther away from the camp, he started feeling a chill. Odd, it's almost Summer, it shouldn't be cold out... When he continued walking, this time, he _heard _something. He stopped in his tracks and listened closely for the voice.

"Heed me..."

Robin closed his eyes and listened even harder.

"Heed my call, Robin."

When Robin opened his eyes, he saw him, King Validar standing in front of him. Robin rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't just hallucinating from exhaustion. This couldn't be happening, a double of him and now he was seeing Validar? Robin thought he might be starting to lose his mind when he heard this supposed phantom speak, "Why do you refuse to accept Him, Robin...?" he asked.

The tactician had enough of these hallucinations. "Enough of this... You can't be real. You have to be some sort of fake..." he said, turning his back on him. Validar, bering very much a reality crossed his arms. "Such rebelliousness... You dare take that tone with your own _father!?_"

Just the very sentence alone made Robin stop and turn back. This was no illusion... "Father? You're... my father?" Validar's eyes narrowed at Robin, why would he ask such a question? "Have you truly forgotten who you really are...?"

"What? Who I am? I... I know who I am!" Robin yelled.

"Do you really, son? You are of my own flesh but you carry sacred blood within you! You live to serve the greatest purpose!"

Those words sent a sharp pain through Robin's head. Painful enough to make him fall to his knees. "Augh! M-My head!" he groaned. He clutched his head, fearing it would burst open.

"You know it to be true, son. Search your heart, and realize your destiny..."

The pain grew worse with each passing word. "No... Gah! S-Stop...!"

"Give yourself over to Him, my son! Surrender your will to Grima!"

"Stop it!"

"Your place is with me, not with these servants of Naga! Join me, and let me bond your strength with the Fell Dragon!"

"STOP IT! AAAAUUGH!" The sheer pain made Robin tremble, as if he would be torn apart at any second. Validar reached out to Robin but stopped when he heard a voice call from the distance, "Robin? Are you alright?" It was Chrom, who overheard the commotion from being the nightwatch in camp.

"Dammit, that Prince again..." Validar looked at his suffering child. "We will meet again, my son..." and just as quickly as he appeared, he vanished. Chrom hadn't seen Validar, and only saw Robin, croughed in the ground, trembling. He ran to him and placed a hand on his back "Hey, are you alright!?" he shook the suffering tactician to snap him out of what he was going through. Hearing Chrom's voice snapped him out of his pain instantly and he let go of his head, panting heavily. He looked up to Chrom.

"Ahh... Chrom... It's okay..." he said, panting still. Chrom helped him up on his feet. "'Okay'? You sure don't look 'okay'! I heard you shouting. Tell me what happened." he demanded. Robin covered his face with his hands. He was trying to process what he just heard from Validar. This was no illusion. He shook his head when he gained his composure. "Chrom... I... I talked with Validar just now..." he said.

Chrom looked to the left and right, he didn't see any traces of people other than Robin being here. "You spoke with him?" he asked.

"Well, it's more like _he_ spoke with _me_. In my head. He told me..." he hesitated at the very through of Validar being his father. "that I was his son..."

Chrom was just as unaccepting of this fact as Robin was. "His son!? ...Is that true?" he asked.

"I don't know... But, I also can't say it's a lie. When I first saw him, I felt like I knew him from somewhere, like we had some sort of connection."

"Gods... What about the hierophant? Could you two be twins? Maybe he's the king's son as well."

Robin felt another headache coming on and pressed his fingers against his temples to stop it. "I don't know about that... Us having the same face and name? It seems unlikely... But, if I'm being honest here, it explains a lot of things about me..."

"Like what?"

"Well, for starters, Validar is Grimleal... and years ago when I first heard about Grima on our way to rescue Emmeryn, I felt a sense of familiarity... So, what if I was Grimleal before I lost my memory? And that's not all!" Robin pulled the sleeve back on his right hand, revealing his birthmark. "This? The purple eyes. Like the ones on my coat. Could this be something related to the Grimleal?" Robin looked at the mark and then clenched his hand into a fist. "Honestly Chrom... I don't think I want to know about my old life anymore."

The prince held Robin's shoulder and looked at him sympathetically. "Listen to me; you are yourself before you are any man's son. Always remember that, understand?"

"You're right. Thanks Chrom." Robin didn't look up to Chrom, as he still reeled from the revelation. "Do you think you can walk?" Chrom asked him. Robin looked up from his clenched fist, relaxing himself. "Yeah. Let's go back."

The two walked back to the camp grounds, but on their way there Frederick was running to them first. "Milord! Risen! Risen have surrounded the camp!" he said panicking.

"What!? But we had sentries posted! How did this happen!?"

"I cannot say milord. These creatures are organized... Either they're being controlled, or they have grown more intellegent!"

Chrom growled at the sudden appearances, and at his own ignorance. Aversa warned them of the treacherous roads. "Alright, rally everyone together and tell them we fight for our lives!"

* * *

Chrom and Robin arrived to an area just a few meters north of camp, and all around them, Risen were everywhere. They were varied from wielding swords, axes, bows, and some with tomes. This wasn't an ordinary Risen attack... Chrom unsheathed Falchion and prepared for battle until a large swarm of crows suddenly spiraled into the battlefield. Chrom tried shooing them away by waving his blade at them but refused to move. In the center of the black swarm of feathers called a childish voice.

"Hey! No CAWS for alarm! Nya ha!" laughed the mysterious voice. Chrom stood still until the crows separated, revealing a smiling, white-haired youth, carrying a dark tome. Chrom looked upon the attire of the boy, he recognized that sort of outfit. "You there, you're a Plegian dark mage, aren't you?"

"Bingo~!" sang the youth. "Name's Henry!" The boy's attitude suddenly shifted when he saw Robin. "Whoa-ho! The prodigal son returns! Howzit goin' Robin!" he greeted. Robin looked at Henry oddly, he was positive he had never seen this boy in his life, yet somehow Henry knew who he was. "You... know me?" he asked.

"Huh? 'Course I do! We're buds, remember? That's why I'm here! The crows told me to give you a message! ...Now what was it..." he said, listening to a crow that landed on his shoulder. "Caw-caw ...caw? What was the English word for that again...? Traipse.. tripe? Oh! Trapped! ...They say you guys are trapped."

Chrom slapped his face in frustration. "We know that already! And, unless you can fight, I suggest you stay back."

"D'aw, don't worry about me. I've, heh, got a thing for killing." he said, stifling laughter.

The Risen hobbled closer and closer, "Enough talk, Henry, if you can fight then do as Robin says and help us fend these creatures off!" Chrom ordered. Henry soluted and prepared his tome for use. "You got it boss-man! Hey Robby, see if all those years with your nose in the books pays off, 'kay?" Robin became increasingly puzzled, but also excited; He finally met someone who knew him from his previous life. If they could survive this night, he would have so many questions for him.

Robin looked to his left and right, initiating his tactical breakdown. Their position was close to camp, and the venue was in a small ravine, with a damn to the back, judging by the layout, he figured this was a dried old river as it was close to the ocean. If they charged ahead, they would be set upon by the archers and turn into pin cushions. They had to travel through the sides, and eliminate the commanding Risen standing on the old dam at the edge of the ravine.

"Everyone listen up," Robin called. "The commanding Risen on the damn over there is our main objective! Here's the plan: Frederick and Stahl, I want you to cover me and Chrom as we go through the ravine. Sully, Cordelia, charge up the sides and take out the Risen as we make our way through. If you're a mage, cover them as they make their way through, everyone else, lend assistance wherever you can!" Robin instructed. When everyone got into their positions, a crow flew back onto the battlefield and onto Henry's shoulder.

"Oh, hey little guy. Uh-huh... Mm-hm... Gotcha! Yo, Robin!" Henry called waving his arm. Robin looked up to the smiling Dark Mage. "My buddy just informed me to watch your back!" Robin huffed at the childish mage. Watching one's back was a given in a fight. "Yeah... thanks..." he responded.

Once the signal was given, everyone rushed into battle. Chrom and Robin charged through the center, defending against the oncoming beasts. To the right, Sully was charging passed them, cutting them down while Ricken covered her with Wind magic, as Panne assisted with defending her. To the left Cordelia and Sumia rushed through the Risen with the newly recruited Henry doing some frightening damage. Vaike, Lissa and the others were back at the campsite itself, making sure no Risen would successfully infiltrate it.

As Chrom cut down the Risen in his path and Stahl and Frederick defended him from stray arrows and magic blasts, he moved closer to the commanding Risen, who kept Chrom at bay with a supply of Short Axes. The way up to the damn was difficult, as the slippery slope made it next to impossible to defend against the commander's ranged weapons. Then, for a moment, the commander stopped all of his movements and stared out into the distance. The prince and tactician also held their place, waiting to see what he would do. The silence was broken with a loud gurgling screech, emitted by the commander, pointing his axe at Chrom. Robin wondered what this action was for. After all, he had been trying to attack Chrom the entire time.

"Hey!" Henry called, waving a severed Risen arm in the air. "Baddies coming from the back, cap'n!" Robin looked to where Henry was pointing the Risen arm. Towards the back was a trio of Risen closing in from the back of the ravine. "I told ya to watch your back~!" Henry teased.

Robin took off alone to the two monsters. "I'll take care of them, Chrom! You focus on the leader!" he yelled back. Robin stood his ground, holding an Elthunder tome out, letting the pages whoosh by. One held a Steel Axe while the other carried a Steel Sword. The axe carrier rushed at Robin, swinging wildly. Robin carefully dodged all of the vicious swipes and answered with a mighty thunderbolt that fried the corpse into a blackened husk. The sword wielder was more skillful in battle. Its quick strikes could cause a fatal wound had Robin not been dodging. One particular swing came close enough to graze his chest, leaving a large scar and tearing his shirt and the front of his coat.

"Dammit!" Robin grunted. He stepped back, dodging one more blow and brought down a bolt onto the monster, followed by another, ending his enemy's movement. With that last strike, his Elthunder tome was spent completely and burned to ashes in a blue ember, like all tomes did when they expended their magic. Robin sighed in relief. He hadn't bothered to see how long this tome would last. He used it excessively in Port Ferox, it was very lucky he took out his last enemy with it before it was completely spent. The tactician, now weaponless stepped over a pile of mud and stood watching the back of the ravine to make sure no more backup would arrive unnoticed. While he was busy, he neglected to notice that the pile of 'mud' he stepped over was beginning to move...

Slowly it 'moved' behind him and from beyond the shallow puddle, rose a Risen, the likes of which no one had seen. It had demonic glowing red eyes and what looked like a potato sack covering it's face. The covert corpse leaned back and held it's claws wide apart, leaning far enough that it's head threatened to touch the ground behind it.

"Look out!" Henry yelled. The call reached Robin's ears just as the monster swung it's claws down. The tactician saw the attack coming, but by the time he was able to dodge, the Risen had ripped six large gashes into his back in a sickening cross pattern. The pain was too much and Robin fell to his hands and knees, completely defenseless. He tried to scream for help but he couldn't muster the strength. Blood dripped from his back to his stomach, staining his shirt and coat with dark crimson blood. Henry, who had seen the whole attack rushed off to help. While he was making his way there, the Risen began leaning back for another strike. There was no way Henry could make it in time, and his magic would never reach. It looked like Robin was finally finished...

Then, a horrible screech was heard in the distance. A cry so terrifying that even the surviving Risen stopped moving for a moment and looked towards the sky. Again the roar echoed, closer than ever, Robin on the verge of his own consciousness looked up and through his blurred and washed out vision couldn't believe what he was seeing: A shining golden glow in the far distance growing closer.

_'Is it...?'_ he thought.

Once more the roar sounded, louder than ever. The shining figure in the distance came into form and was flying, yes, _flying_ into the battlefield.

"I'M GONNA CRUSH YOU!" yelled a distorted girlish voice.

"N-No...?" Robin choked out, coughing. The figure came into clear view, a Divine Dragon swooped down into the ravine and grabbed the Risen behind Robin with it's small arms, sailing right over the wounded tactician. For a moment, time slowed to a crawl and Robin looked up at the golden scales of Nowi. He could hardly believe it. Was it another hallucination brought on by blood loss? Was it just Sumia coming to his aid? It couldn't be. The large reptile then swooped upwards and then back down to the earth, smashing the Risen to bits with an earth-shaking pile driver. Everyone on the battlefield was absolutely stunned. The sheer brutality had everyone frozen in shock. Chrom, however, shook off the fiasco and took this chance to finish the fight. He was able to quickly run up the slope of the dam, and rush to the center, slicing the Risen commander in half. Once the commander fell and evaporated into black smoke, the army snapped back into their senses and continued cutting down the last of the enemies.

At the back of the ravine, Robin, failing to keep his eyes open, grew weak on his limbs and tried to crawl back to camp. Lissa would be able to help if he made it on time. Henry rushed over to Nowi, who shifted from her dragon-form back into her human-form. The Dark Mage, temporarily lost his ever-present smile before gaining it a second later. "That was awesome! Do it again!" he squealed.

Nowi was puzzled upon seeing the boy. "Robin? Is... is that you? You've gotten shorter!" she exclaimed, sizing herself up to Henry. The silver-haired mage realized that watching Nowi crack more skulls wasn't important at the moment. "Oh yeah! Robin's hurt!" he ran over to Robin, tossing him over his shoulder. He had surprising strength, easily carrying Robin on his back. "Hey, dragon-girl! Come and help me get some help for Robin!" he commanded. Nowi covered her mouth and gasped deeply in horror. She was flying so fast into the battlefield that she didn't notice Robin, only grabbing the nearest Risen away from the group. Lookin upon Robin's bleeding body was heartbreaking, Gods know what would have happened had she arrived a second later.

She ran after Henry and looked into Robin's blank face. He was teetering on the edge of consciousness, his pupils beginning to dim out. "Robin! Oh Gods, Robin, can you hear me!?" she called, panicking. Her voice was breaking and she sounded like she was going to cry at any second. "Blink twice if you can hear me!" she yelled, tears welling up in her eyes. Though he was close to blacking out, Robin could still hear well enough, but his reaction time was not very well.

Soon the three made their way through the woods and came upon the camp site. Vaike, saw the three arriving and hald his axe ready. He didn't trust this new person carrying his friend who looked injured. "Whoa there buster, where're ya going with my pal there?" he asked holding his axe to Henry. Nowi was going to have none of this nonsense and grabbed Vaike's axe out of his hands and tossed it aside, lodging it into a nearby tree, which was dangerously close to where Lon'qu was patrolling. "Vaike! There's no time for questions, where's Lissa!? Where's Maribelle!? Or Libra, or anyone with a healing staff!?" she demanded. Vaike put his hands up defensively. "Hold on there, kiddo, first of all, when did you get back? Second, what happened to-" "Augh, forget it!" Nowi pushed passed the man and searched the tents for Lissa or Maribelle. Eventually she found Lissa wandering the camp ground, patrolling it with the others.

"Lissa! Help!" Nowi yelled. The princess looked towards the Manakete and Dark Mage running towards her. She was going to greet Nowi at first, but when she saw Robin in terrible shape, she quickly lead them to the convoy, where she rustled through the many items inside for a Mend staff she brought just in case. "Okay, just lay him down gently." she instructed. Henry placed Robin, face down on the floor of the convoy wagon and hopped off to let Lissa go to work. She waved her staff over the bleeding wounds, and after a faint glow from the staff's orb, his wounds began to close. Although a staff cannot replace blood loss, Robin would at least live. "Okay. He'll be just fine. You guys sure lucked out bringing him back here when you did. Another pint of blood and he would have been history..." she commented. "He just needs to rest now. He'll be fine by the time dawn breaks."

Nowi hopped into the convoy after Lissa put her staff away. "Thanks Lissa. It's great to see you again, by the way." she said, hugging the princess. Lissa returned the hug and smiled back. "I wondered where you've been, Nowi! Maribelle said you went off on your own somewhere, and I haven't heard from you since."

"Sorry. I knew I should have written more letters. Anyways, I'll stay here with Robin until he wakes up." Lissa nodded and hopped off the convoy, then went back to patrolling the camp grounds, this time with Henry beside her, asking him where he came from. Nowi sat down next to Robin, turning him over so she could see his face. He still was lacking a bit of color, but that would surely heal with time. His blank eyes were starting to fill with life again and he weakly groaned in displeasure. Nowi scooted closer to him and gently patted his chest. "Don't force yourself Robin. I'm here for you. Just take it easy and relax." she said softly. Robin shakily reached his hand out and grabbed Nowi's hand. How he longed to feel her touch after these two years. He squeezed her hand gently, making sure she wasn't another illusion. Sure enough, she was the real deal. The girl who he waited for was finally back within his grasp. He was able to force a smile through his otherwise stiff body and looked into her amethyst eyes and blinked twice. The Manakete giggled a little, thankful that he could hear her back then, even if the response was a little late.

Nowi moved even closer to Robin, and elevated his head, placing it on her lap and stroked his silvery-white hair. She cradled him so gently, protectively, and stroked his soft, cold cheeks. It was strange to her, being this close to him and feeling him like this almost felt intimate. But she didn't care. She loved him, with all her heart, and she would want nothing more than to be with him like this. She had spent two years without his touch, and she was going to get her fill. It almost seemed like the perfect time for her to finally reveal her feelings to him, but given the circumstances, it would be best to just leave that for tomorrow.

* * *

A few hours passed and the sun was beginning to rise. Though it was still quite dark out, the encroaching dawn lit the black night with a gentle glow of purple. Robin's eyes flitted open to see Nowi had kept her word and watched over him the entire night. She was asleep now, slightly hunched over his head and snoring quietly. Robin, reached up and tapped her cheek, "Psst, Nowi." he whispered. The Manakete's eyes blinked half-open, "Muh...?" she muttered. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Nowi looked down at Robin, who had regained his natural color in his face.

"Hi, Robin. Are you feeling better?" she whispered. "Yeah. Thanks for watching over me, Nowi." Robin responded. "How is everyone?"

"Yeah, they're just fine. More importantly, they were worried sick about you. When they saw you getting carried off, they thought the worst. But I told them you'd be okay. Almost everyone made it back except for Chrom."

Robin sat up straight, pulling his torn coat off his sleeves. His shirt was still stained with blood from his injury. "Chrom's not back? ...I'd better go and look for him. I'll be right back." He hopped down from the convoy, folded his coat up and left it inside and walked off to the battlefield. He would rather not risk his coat being damaged any more, though not having it on exposed the copious blood stains on his shirt. It wouldn't matter anyways. It's not like anyone would see him, not for a while anyways. Nowi hopped down off the convoy and followed after Robin. "You're not going alone. There might be more monsters out there." she insisted "And, I'd just like to talk with you again. It's been so long." Nowi moved close to him and wrapped her arms around his. She certainly was more affectionate than she used to be, and Robin was simply fine with that.

As the two walked together, they passed through the battlefield to find the missing prince. There didn't seem to be any sign of him, just piles of weapons from the fallen Risen. Robin scanned from left to right, wondering where Chrom could possibly be. It's possible that he survived but hadn't returned to camp for certain reasons. Looking at the dam at the edge of the ravine, Robin walked with Nowi to it. Crossing passed the roadside, the two stood atop the dam and looked around. Still no sign. The only other place they could possible look would be the other side of a hill that stood at the back of the dam just before a small patch of trees.

"This... may take a bit longer than I thought..." Robin said under his breath. Nowi was playfully tossing her dragonstone up and down while they continued to search. "Well, where else could we look?" she asked. The tactician rubbed his chin and thought about any other places Chrom could be. It's possible that he wouldn't travel too his army. Desert or not, this was still Plegian territory and unfamiliar one at that.

"This hill over here could give us a better view of where he could be. I'd wager we could even see camp at the top. Let's go check it out." Robin headed to the hill with Nowi following close behind him.

* * *

The walk over the hill took a bit more effort than Robin thought. Eventually, they made it to the top, but it was also covered in trees; Trying to get a better view didn't seem as possible as before. The sun was beginning to creep it's way into the sky, no doubt Frederick would be up by now, checking on weapons and armor as he always did. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise that Robin hadn't found Chrom just yet, it would be a perfect time for Robin to tell Nowi he loved her. Stopping for a moment, he checked his person for the special ring he had specially made for her years ago. Strangely, it wasn't with him... He always kept the ring with him as a lucky charm but now he didn't have it. He looked into his pockets, his boots, but it wasn't anywhere. That's when he slapped his head in realization: He left the ring in the pocket of his coat... which was folded neatly in the convoy...

"Ooooh, DAMMIT!" he yelled, causing the swear to echo over the hills. He covered his mouth afterwards, not that it mattered. Nowi was tossing her dragonstone against a tree, trying to kill time until they found Chrom. "Geez, is it _that _frustrating?" she asked.

"No, no... I just forgot something very important back at camp." He rubbed his forehead as a headache was coming on from such ill luck constantly hounding him. "You want me to fly back and get it?" she asked. "No, that's alright. I'll get it when we bring Chrom back with us..."

Something then clicked in Robin's head: Nowi was a Manakete... why couldn't she just _fly _overhead and find Chrom?

"Uh... Nowi?"

"Mmm?"

"I just now remembered that you can transform... why don't you just fly around and see if you can spot Chrom?"

"Oh yeah!" Nowi squealed. "Man, why didn't I think of that before? When I'm a Dragon, I'll find him in... huh?" Nowi was frantically searching herself, in a similar way Robin was just a moment ago. She even grabbed the pouch she had on her and dumped it out on the grass. Sparkly objects, and other such things, even a ring of her own fell out. Why Nowi would ever have a ring, he couldn't tell. "Where's my dragonstone!?" she whined, getting on her knees and shuffling around.

"Nowi, you've been tossing it around since we've been up here. You didn't happen to toss it away somewhere, did you?"

Nowi gripped her hair frantically, looking around even more desperately than before. "Oh Gods! I... I think I did! Now what are we gonna do!? I can't ever be a Dragon again and-and *sniff* We may never find Chrom!" The panicked girl instantly started sobbing, sending some crows flying from the tree tops. Robin crouched next to her and held her by her shoulders. "Easy, Nowi, easy! If we search hard enough, then we'll find it."

The distraught Manakete refused to stop crying. If she continued, surely she would attract unwanted attention to them, including more Risen. "Uhh... Nowi! Remember two years ago, when I said I was going to tell you something when you came back!?" he shouted, to overcome her bawling. "Well, I'll tell you the second I find your dragonstone! But I can't do that if you keep crying like this!"

After a good minute or so, Nowi's wailing died down into gentle sniffles. She wiped her eyes and face of tears and looked to Robin with a pouting face. "I-I don't really mind if you tell me that or not... I just want my dragonstone back..." Robin gathered all of the things Nowi dropped out of her pouch and placed them back inside and handed the pouch back to her. "I know you do. I promise, I'm going to find it for you, and I won't leave this place until I do."

Nowi took her things back and rubbed the last of her tears away. "Okay, thanks... Sorry to put you through all the trouble. Is there any way I can help you out?" she asked. "I think I should be fine on my own, I just have to figure out the way you tossed it then calculate the trajectory and force of the throw and..." Robin stopped himself when he saw Nowi's eyes glaze over; She had NO idea what he was talking about. At times like this, he thought of how Miriel would act this way around people. "That is... I'll just need to look over in that direction and I should be able to find it. If you want, you can go on back to camp. I'll try to be back by the time the sun is completely up." He held her hand and stood her up, sending into the direction of camp. He looked over to where Nowi was tossing her dragonstone and decided to recreate the situation. He picked up a rock about the same size, if not a bit smaller, and stood in her exact same place. She was using the same technique he taught her two years ago, so he used the same, tossing it, just passing the tree.

"Huh..." Robin thought. "Why didn't I hear a thump from the rock...?" he stepped forward, passed the tree and through some unusually thick grass to find that the otherside of the group of trees was a downward incline to the hill. The otherside was quite beautiful, too. The encroaching morning sun filled the sky with a bright purple haze, and a sparkling stream parted the grassy fields below. As luck would have it, there Chrom was, standing by the stream... with Marth... who was crying... Why would Chrom be with Marth? And why would they need to be alone like this? Most importantly, why was she _crying? _Then, Robin watched as she embrrassed him and cried into his chest.

"Gods bless Chrom if Sumia sees this..." he said.

"Too late..."

Robin's eyes widened. That voice was probably the last one he wanted to hear right now. He slowly turned his head, hoping it was just Nowi playing a trick on him. But alas, behind him was Sumia, clutching a sunflower close to her chest.

"Sumia...!" he whispered in surprise. "What are you doing here!?" he asked, keeping his voice to a minimum.

"Well... I was worried when Chrom didn't return all night, and when I saw you and Nowi leave without telling anyone, I kind of... well followed you, thinking you were worried too." she plucked a pedal off the sunflower after she finished speaking and twirled the flower by it's stem countless times.

"Well, I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation for why Chrom decided to meet Marth out here alone... without telling anyone. Although the tears might need another explanation."

The prince and mysterious Marth continued embracing each other, Chrom even lightly caressing her hair. Sumia plucked another pedal from the flower and her face was turning red. "Um... Tell you what, Sumia, how about I go and confront Chrom about this? I'll bet he'll tell me what's going on easily."

"Y-Yeah... Oh, and Nowi's dragonstone is over there..." she said, pointing at the glowing orb by the stream against a large rock. If it weren't for that rock, the dragonstone would probably end up in the stream and carried out to the ocean. Thank the Gods for the luck... and bless Chrom for being caught in such a situation. "Right then... I'll be off."

Robin first headed over to the dragonstone, stepping lightly so the two wouldn't notice him, and grabbed the dragonstone. It wasn't damaged by the trip down here, just a bit of dirt and grass stuck to it by morning dew. He rubbed the stone off on his shirt and nervously walked to Chrom's location. Finally, the two detached from each other, making Robin's appearance a little less awkward. Astoundingly, they still failed to notice him, with how close he got to them. They were busy talking about something, but Robin was too nervous to pay much attention to what it was.

*-ahem- I'm sorry, Chrom?" Robin said, standing about 5 feet from the two. Chrom and Marth both turned to face him, both clearly shocked at seeing him. Chrom was more shocked at seeing Robin standing, with the hit he took before, and Marth simply out of sheer surprise.

Not one to succumb to pressure, Chrom held onto his calm demeanor and looked toward his friend, Marth refused to look at him however, THAT probably wasn't a good sign.

"Ah, Robin. Very nice to see you alive and well. Is there something you need?

_'Wow... I can't believe how calm he is... isn't he aware of how bad this looks!?' _Robin thought. Keeping his own cool, he looked off to Sumia, who secretly walked over with him, but her back was turned to everyone, still plucking away at the sunflower. "It's just that... you're here all alone, and Marth is crying... ill rumors are born this way, you know." he said, he moved his head to the side, signaling Sumia, who was obviously distraught at the current situation.

"He loves me. He loves me not..." she chanted, with every pluck of the sunflower.

Chrom scratched his head in confusion. Completely missing her obvious behavior, he looked to the small pile of yellow pedals at her feet. "Er... Sumia, why are you shredding that poor flow-"

"I wasn't spying on you! You can't prove that I was!" she blurted out, still refusing to look at her husband.

"I wasn't accusing you of-"

"Oh Gods... and you even brought HER... *sniff* Like you're rubbing it in my face..." she said, her voice beginning to turn into squeaky, high-pitched whispers.

The navy-haired prince scratched at Falchion's pommel. "Well... It looks like talking won't simply solve this." He walked over to Marth and picked her chin up with his hand gently. "Is it alright if we tell her, Lucina?" he asked.

* * *

The sun was hanging in the sky, the early morning that followed, hours later and the Shepherds were starting to head back to Port Ferox, then back to Ylisse from there on. Nowi, as always woke up later than most, bunking with Lissa. After rubbing her eyes she saw her precious dragonstone rested next to her. She quickly swiped it up and kissed it. "Ooh, my dragonstone! I promise I'll never use you as a plaything ever again!" she squealed. Tossing her clothes on, Nowi rushed out of the tent and wandered around camp, looking for Robin. She eventually found his tent and barged right in.

"Robin! Thank you so much for-" she started before noticing that Robin was only half clothed. "W-Whoops..." The girl's face quickly flushed red when she saw his bare chest. Robin looked up from one of his books to see her, shuffling out of his tent. "Sorry!" she said. As she shuffled out of the tent, she bumped right into Cherche, who was carrying Robin's coat and his shirt, that was recently washed in the stream that him and Chrom were at a little while ago.

"Oh, hello little one. Are you part of the Shepherd's too?" she asked, with her ever-present smile. Nowi, having not met Cherche before, nodded. "Wonderful. I don't believe we've met yet. My name is Cherche, and yours?"

"I'm Nowi. Sorry, I kinda freaked out a little bit." she admitted, her blush still plastered on her face.

"It's alright, dear. Are you acquainted with Sir Robin? I've washed his clothes and sewn them back together. Would you mind giving it to him? Oh, and tell him that the 'items' inside are safe."

Nowi received the neatly folded clothes from the Wyvern-riding maid. "Sure." she responded. Cherche walked off, probably going to search for Minerva. Nowi exhaled and slowly stepped inside Robin's tent again. "Uh... Yeah... I assume you heard what Cherche said already, right...?" she asked, averting her gaze, though occasionally coping a second, even third look. She hadn't seen him without clothes before, but she was certain he gained some muscle in their time apart. She stopped looking altogether when she saw the large scars he received from last night's battle.

"Yeah, I did. I'll have to thank her later for patching my coat up." Robin said. He closed his book and took the clothes from Nowi. She turned around while Robin dressed himself. The patchwork on the back of the coat and shirt was fine work. The stitching was visible, but other than that, they were as good as new. He draped his over his shoulders and pulled his arms through the sleeves. "Ah, much better."

Nowi finally looked at Robin again. "Hee hee~ I really miss that coat you always wore. It's still hard to believe I'm back. Two years is normally nothing to a Manakete, but without my friends, it felt like 200. And I know how long 200 years is!"

"Heh, I'll bet." Robin chuckled. "Okay then... I guess now's the time, since you're back. Nowi, I wan't to talk to you privately. Away from camp, if you would." he asked.

"Sure. Are you going to tell me that thing you said you would two years ago?"

"That's exactly it."

The couple walked to the place Chrom was with Marth- now known as Lucina- last night. He still couldn't believe Lucina returned to the past to prevent an awful future. Her warning of the human race being near extinction was hard to believe. The part that really disturbed him was the resurrection of Grima. The same Grima the Grimleal worshiped... the Grima his father, Validar, wanted to join his strength with. Grima had started becoming a recurring theme lately, and every time he was mentioned, Robin got an odd feeling deep in his mind. Now he was getting a negative feeling. Not only is Grima a harbinger of a hell-on-earth future, but if Grima was truly resurrected wouldn't that mean Robin's life was forfeit in the process? Whether or not that was the case, Lucina confirmed that everyone was dead. That was why Robin was finally finished with wasting time and brought Nowi out to this spot, by the stream.

"Hey, Robin, thanks for helping me out earlier." Nowi said, snapping Robin out of his thoughts.

"What? You mean about the dragonstone? Not at all, I'm just glad I finally found it." he cleared his throat and turned away for a second. "Nowi, I brought you out here because I have been meaning to tell you something for a very long time. Do you remember that stone you gave to me two years ago? Was it really that important to you?"

"Sure was. But it's yours now. I've been looking for a new one anyways. You probably noticed all the shiny stuff from my pouch earlier, those are all potential replacements. Y'know those old myths about dragons being obsessed with gold and jewels? Those are actually true!"

"Heh... Gold and jewels huh?" Robin chuckled. His heart rate began to speed up a little as he reached into his coat pocket. True to Cherche's word, it was safe and sound. He pulled the ring from his coat and stared at it. It was a gold band with a large blue gem adorning it. "In that case, I want you to have this." he said, turning around and presenting her the ring. He held his fingers tightly around the band so she would notice the stone first.

Nowi's eyes lit up at the blue marble he held up to her. "Ooh! It's SO shiny and pretty! But, that's not a normal rock, is it?"

"No, it's not. Not anymore, at least. It used to be the stone you gave me, but..." he opened his palm, letting the entire ring expose itself to her. "I've made it into a ring."

_'Oh Gods! It's a ring! A RING! So, it's true then! Robin really does love me~!" _Nowi thought. Her heart was fluttering and she felt like she could just fly away at any second. She placed her hands on Robin's and the ring.

"Robin?" she asked, with a wide smile.

"Yes, Nowi?"

Nowi's face began turning pink with happiness. "I know what kind of ring this is." Her smile only grew wider. "You want us to make a promise. A promise that we'll always be together, forever."

Robin took a deep breath. "Oh, so then you DO know the custom. I didn't think Manaketes abide by the same lifestyle as humans." he said, rubbing his neck.

"Robin, c'mon. I may act like a kid sometimes, but we both know I'm a grown woman." she teased.

"Heh, right, right. Sometimes I forget that you've spent more time with humans than I thought. But, if you know that, then you understand what it means to accept this ring."

"I do." Now answered. She removed one of her gloves and placed the ring upon her finger. "And, I DO! In every sense of the words, Robin, I do!" Nowi embraced Robin tightly and nuzzled into his neck. "Oh, Robin~! I've been in love with you since we first met! I never admitted it because I was afraid you didn't feel the same about me! But, I don't need to hide it anymore! I love you, Robin! I've wanted to be with you for so long! I'll always love you!" Nowi's eyes flooded with tears. Not from sadness, but of pure happiness. Now, finally, she returned to her true love.

"If I have any regrets, Nowi, it's that I wish I spoke up before. I wanted to tell you how much I loved you before you left. These two years without you meant nothing to me if I didn't have you. You've made me so happy, Nowi, and I know we'll be happy together." Robin wrapped his arms around his love, for the first time in a long time. He felt utterly at peace and full of happiness.

Nowi continued to hold onto Robin but reached into her pouch and pulled out a ring of her own. The ring was a pure silver band with a shining white jewel embeded in the center. "Robin, here." she said, presenting it to him. Robin examined the ring. "Is this for me?" he asked.

"Yes. Remember when I said I was looking for my parents? Well, you could say I found them... and this ring belonged to my mom. I thought I'd keep it as a memento to remember her, but I want you to have it. The gem in it was part of her dragonstone."

"Nowi, I couldn't accept this, it belongs to your mother."

"Of course you can. When Manaketes look for a mate, they exchange dragonstones. And, since you're gonna be my hubby, I think it's in line with tradition, wouldn't you agree? Besides, I'm sure Mom would want you to have it anyway."

"Well, when you put it that way, I guess I can't refuse. It only seems fair, seeing as how that shiny rock you gave me turned out to be a dragonstone too."

"Hee hee~ I know. That's why the stone was so important to me, next to being pretty."

Robin raised an eyebrow "So, you knew it was a dragonstone the whole time?" he asked. Nowi moved her mother's ring close to hers, causing the blue Ice Dragonstone to glow. "Yeah, I did. When a dead dragonstone comes in contact with a live one, it glows too. So, here." Nowi presented the ring again to Robin. "Think of this as me exchanging a dragonstone of mine to you."

Robin proudly placed the ring upon his finger. It glowed beautifully, signaling that it was still very much from a living dragonstone. If only he got to meet her parents. "Hey... wait a second..." Robin said, looking away from the ring. "If exchanging dragonstones is a way for Manakete couples to marry... then, you giving me your blue dragonstone... was that your early attempt at courting me?" he asked.

Nowi clasped her ringed hand with Robin's, causing her ring to glow again. "Mayyyybe~" she giggled.

"Wow, you really are a sneaky one."

"Hey, you're not the only one with a brain for tactics~." she teased.

"Well then, we both have our rings. But, humans exchange one more thing when they get married. Do you know what that is?" he asked, blushing.

Nowi shook her head. "Mm-mm. What is it?"

Placing his arms around Nowi, he pulled her in closely and his lips met with hers for the first time. Nowi's eyes widened from the sudden kiss but then flitted close. She stood on her toes to try and match Robin's height and wrapped her arms around his neck. This was her first kiss, by anyone, as silly as it sounded for someone who had lived for over 1,000 years. Both of them were left in a state of euphoria, having finally sealed their 'marriage' with a kiss. It didn't have cake and wedding bells, but it was their own that they were proud of.

When they finally separated, they were greeted with applause from Chrom, Lissa, and even Sumia. Tharja was around too, but she was hidden. Strangely enough, she wasn't upset at all. She was already very happily married, but seeing Robin finally find his happiness was enough for her. As long as he was happy, she was.

Still holding Nowi in his arms, Robin looked to his friends. "So, how long have you guys been watching us?" Robin asked.

"Right around the time you gave her your ring." Lissa chirped. "Good for you, Robin! It's so nice to see you get married!"

"Yes, congratulations Robin. You were a bit late, but you finally have the woman of your dreams." Chrom held Sumia close to him. "We actually came to find you because we're ready to head back to Port Ferox, but we never expected to bare witness to you two marrying each other."

"Although..." Sumia interjected. "If you two want to have an official wedding, you just say the word and me and Chrom will take care of it!"

Robin chuckled from Sumia's offer. "Well, thanks for the offer, but we can't exactly afford to have a wedding right now... Maybe after we return from Valm, we can hold one."

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, we're already husband and wife... but having a wedding like the one Chrom and Sumia had would be great!" Nowi exclaimed "...Plus, I kinda promised Maribelle that she would be my best maid. Oh, I can't wait to tell her I got married~!"

"Okay then. After the business in Valm, we'll throw you a wedding, you have my word." Chrom said. "Now, for the time being, let's get back to the convoy. It's all set to head back to Port Ferox."

"Actually, you guys go on ahead. We need another minute." Nowi said.

"Heh heh, just don't take _too long_ you lovebirds!" Lissa teased. The three walked back through the trees to camp, leaving the newlyweds alone. Robin looked to his wife. "Why do we need more time, Nowi?" he asked.

"Because of this!" She stood back onto her toes and pressed her lips against Robin's again, this time clutching the front of his coat to pull him into her a little further. They were definitely going to need another minute or so.

* * *

**A/N: WOOOOOO! Finally! The two have FINALLY gotten married! :D Aw, man. This turned out to by my longest chapter of all... and in my opinion, probably my best, but I'll leave that up to the reviews. So, I bet you all understand why I call this story "Love and Dragonstones" now, right? Now, this would be a pretty good close to the story buuuuut... I'm not ending it here! Oh no, I'm going ALL the way to the end! I'm talking post-Grima stuff! There is still plenty of stuff to do before the story ends.** **Besides, you all know how the nursery rhyme goes, right?**

**First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes... well, I'm sure you guys can pick up on where I'm going with this. I hope you've all enjoyed the story, because there's plenty more to come. Next chapter... Morgan joins the army! :D**

**And just for fun: RobinxNowi theme: Earth Angel by The Penguins , cuz I like this song, and I was listening to it while i was writing the 'marriage' scene on repeat. **


	19. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The Shepherds had made their way back to Port Ferox, and there was still plenty of time in the day before nightfall. It was still mid afternoon, so Robin decided to take this time to travel about and collect some information on what they should look out for in Valm so he could make some plans in the coming months. His new wife, Nowi, tagged along with him for the day and the two spent hours around town asking people of any information they may have heard about this 'Walhart' Robin heard the Valmese general speak about earlier. Eventually the two settled at a pub at the center of town, where some of their fellow allies had retired to for the day.

Robin tapped his fingers on the table with his hand resting on his cheek. "Hmm, we haven't gotten too much information on the neighboring continent. I thought this would be a good place to ask around since people sail from here to there for the sake of trading..."

Nowi held Robin's hand, stopping his fingers from tapping on the table. "Don't beat yourself up about it, babe, You told me we've got three months before we head there, right? When we get back home, you could always look through some books on Valm. Books are your specialty, after all." She said.

Robin looked at Nowi out of the corner of his eye and smiled weakly. "'Babe'?" he asked.

"What? I can't give my husband a nickname?"

"Of course you can. It was just unexpected is all... _honey_."

Nowi giggled. She liked it when Robin played along like that. "Well, it's a start. But listen to this; I heard that to the north of here, there are some ruins that hold some treasure. Do you think you should check it out? It's about a 2 hour ride from the port."

Robin looked to the roof of the pub in thought. Treasure wasn't very appealing to him, but it would at least give him something to do for the next few hours. It was just passed noon and they wouldn't be heading anywhere until tomorrow. At the very least, they might recruit some new Shepherds who headed there as well. After a while, he was committing more and more to the idea. He lightly nodded, finally come to a decision. "You know what? That sounds like a plan. I'm going to go and find Chrom and we'll talk about a travel plan. Would you like to come with us?"

Nowi gently squeezed his palm and shook her head. "No, I'll be fine here in town. I don't want to be one of those wives who constantly hounds her man all the time. Besides, it's an old ruin. You're not gonna need a dragon for that."

"Alright, I'll see you later then." Robin got up and kissed Nowi's cheek and walked out the pub to find Chrom. Most likely he was either training or patrolling the town for security. It took some doing, but he eventually found him in the docks, assisting people to rebuild the area after the invasion. Robin walked up to the prince and explained what Nowi had told him. It took some time, but Robin convinced Chrom that they could only benefit from the trip.

"Alright, alright. We'll go. I'll be bringing a very low number of Shepherds with us though." Chrom said.

"Great. I'll meet you at the town entrance." With that, the two men went their separate ways, meeting up again no more than 30 minutes later at the entrance to the port town.

* * *

After a short two-hour trip on horseback, Chrom, Frederick, Lissa, Robin, and Lucina were standing before the ruins that they were told about. The area had an ethereal feel to them. The sky shined a mystical green, while the ruins themselves seem to glow with a pale blue hue.

"Alright, here we are. Everyone, be on the lookout for other treasure hunters here. They may not be too friendly." Chrom warned.

Lissa looked around. For the time being, there didn't seem to be anyone nearby. "Whoa. This place is actually very pretty. I didn't expect it to look like this."

Everyone seemed to agree except for Lucina. Coming from a ruined future, being around ruins was probably not the best thing for her right now, but she insisted on attending the trip. The small band of Shepherds cautiously, but eagerly walked into the ruins, keeping a lookout for any treasures that could be around.

Meanwhile, on the far side of the ruins, a figure wandered aimlessly about. They wore a dark coat, with the hood obscuring their face, and clutching a dusty old tome close to their chest. They looked around for someone, anyone.

"Hmm... Now where was the exit? Oh, blast, I've lost Father too... C'mon Morgan, think..."

No sooner had the figure wandered into the ruins, Risen had mysteriously appeared from the depths of the tomb. They hobbled up the stairs that lead to the crypts and catacombs, and focused on this one figure.

"Oh, double-blast! These things don't look very friendly... Okay... just breath and keep calm. How would Dad handle this?"

As the band of Shepherds walked to the upper areas of the ruins, which housed many broken fountains and ponds, they noticed a circle of Risen focused on one spot.

"Gods, the Risen seem to be coming in many numbers lately." Chrom said, unsheathing Falchion. "It doesn't look like there are too many. I'll go and take them out myself, you all continue looking around. I won't be but a minute."

"Oh suuure, play the cool guy..." Lissa pouted. "Well, I'm not gonna share the treasure with you when I find it!" she yelled after him.

"Don't you mean when _we _find it, milady?" Frederick corrected.

Lissa twisted the hair at the edge of her pigtails. "Yeah... sure." she answered. The group of four continued while Chrom took care of the group of Risen.

The mysterious figure backed up until they were pressed up against a broken wall of the ruins. They were trapped, but not defenseless. Just when the first Risen leaped up to attack, the figure unsheathed a weapon of their own and split the Risen in two as they descended. Taking advantage of the surrounding monsters surprise, they cut down three more, then finished off another two with a quick blast from an Elfire tome. Chrom stopped, dead in his tracks when he saw this person cutting down all these beasts with little effort. They were definitely skilled... but something about their swordplay seemed familiar. The prince elected to lay low and watch to see the person in action.

Miraculously, they beat down every single Risen. The pile of corpses lay strewn about. Chrom revealed himself to greet the person and noticed they were wearing a black coat... Robin's black coat. It even had the same stitches in the same places as his. Their sword was a thin longsword, finely tempered at that. The material for the hilt was unmistakable, the gold used for it was the same one that was used for Falchion, and for Robin's Grandmaster blade. Who was this person? And how could they have a weapon that could only be made by Ylissean blacksmiths? More importantly, how did they attain Robin's coat?

Chrom held Falchion, pointing it towards this mysterious being. He couldn't make out their face because of the hood draped over their head. "You! Where did you get that!?" he demanded. The figure looked at Chrom. Figuring they were in league with these undead abominations, they held their sword in a battle stance... Robin's battle stance. Chrom became increasingly confused, but this familiarity was unmistakable. "There's no way..." he whispered. There was no mistaking it: This had to be that doppleganger hierophant that he met in Plegia, no doubt here spying on Robin.

Chrom charged at the figure, determined to have answers. As he swung Falchion, he was instantly parried. They struck as well but Chrom dodged out of the way. They were good... too good. Holding Falchion steady, he called to the being. "Hey, who taught you to fight like that!?" he asked. The figure recoiled a bit from the question, then charged forward, sword raised.

"My FATHER!" they yelled.

Their swords clashed together, sending the metalic clang ringing through the ruins. Upon further inspection, this person could not have been the doppleganger he met. They were a perfect mirror of Robin in every way, but _this _person was considerably shorter than Robin. So who were they? A common thief? How did they come across Robin's coat then? Chrom sidestepped them and threw them to the ground, causing them to drop their weapon. He then forcefully grabbed them by the collar of the coat and held them up in the air with one hand.

The being struggled helplessly in his grip, kicking and flailing about, like a child. "H-Hey! Let go of me!" they cried out. This most certainly wasn't Robin's double. The voice was too feminine. Chrom pulled back the hood of the coat to reveal a little girl with winter-green hair.

"Alright, spit it out; tell me who you are and where you got this coat. Now!" he demanded.

The girl continued to flail about, even smacking Chrom's face with her tome. "Let go! Let go I said!" she yelled. Chrom defended his face from the tome, and tried to keep her in his grip, which was failing from the struggle. "Hey, knock it off!" he yelled back, tightening his grip and holding her higher.

"Stop grabbing it like that! You're gonna rip it! Please, just put me down!" she pleaded. The girl finally had enough and kicked Chrom in the stomach, enough to make him bend over a bit, dropping her. She took this time to run, but Chrom grabbed her collar again and jerked her backwards, causing the fabric of the coat to tear audibly.

At once, the girl stopped struggling and just stayed motionless when Chrom lifted her up again. "Alright, enough! Who are you!" he yelled. She didn't respond. In fact, the only reaction Chrom got out of her were sniffles and stifled gasps. "Are you crying...?" Chrom asked.

"You... you ripped it... I told you to stop..." she whispered. A tear fell from her cheek and hit the stone floor below. "I'll make you pay for that..." Chrom set the girl down finally, who dropped to her knees. "That coat doesn't belong to you. I suggest you return it before-"

"How dare you!?" the girl yelled. She turned around and pounded at Chrom's chest in futility. "I'll have you know my father gave me this coat! And you ripped it!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face. She stopped hitting Chrom and fiddled through the pocket in the coat for something. Chrom was confused for a moment, then he realized something: Lucina mentioned that she had come back in time with others. Could this possibly be Robin's daughter? Chrom knelt down in front of her and prepared to apologize, but before he did, the girl brought forward a lime-green, glowing orb; a Dragonstone. She held it aloft and instantly, she transformed into a dragon before Chrom.

"Oh no..." Chrom said, looking up to the large gold beast. "Um... Listen, I know now what I did may have been a bit harsh and-"

"SEE HOW YOU LIKE IT!" the girl yelled, snapping up Chrom by his cape in her jaws and flying into the air.

"Whoa! W-Wait a minute! Not so high!" Chrom yelled while being flung about like a rag doll.

In another part of the ruins, Frederick Robin, Lissa and Lucina were looking through the ruins for anything resembling treasure. Nothing but old pottery and ancient scripture remained. Robin insisted on taking these artifacts with them anyways. If anyone could find any value in them, Miriel probably would.

"Well, we've turned these ruins upside down. But apart from some dusty old stone tablets, there isn't anything here really worth the effort." Lissa said, sitting on a broken pillar to rest.

"I wouldn't say that." Robin replied. "These old tablets here could be useful for something in the future. Personally, I enjoyed this trip. Aside from that Risen attack that Chrom took care of, it could have been worse." Robin placed the tablets into the saddlebag of Frederick's horse. "Speaking of Chrom, where is he? That Risen attack should have been taken care of by now."

As if on cue, the group could hear Chrom screaming and cursing while still held tightly in the jaws of the Manakete who captured him. Lucina watched in horror as her father was swung about like a bag of potatoes. Lissa, Robin, and Frederick assumed that the large dragon was Nowi playing with Chrom... a little too roughly though.

"Don't worry, I'll go and talk with her." Robin said. He walked over to where the two were in the air and waved his arms to signal 'Nowi' that enough was enough. The dragon continued to swing Chrom about, finishing her abuse by carrying him over to one of the fountains and dropping him into the water. Frederick, Lissa and Lucina all rushed over to help him out of the fountain.

"Now, leave me alone!" the girl yelled at Chrom before flapping her wings to take off. Robin ran over to the fountain and called up to her. "Hey! Nowi, that wasn't necessary! Get back here and apologize to Chrom!" he demanded. Chrom shook his head violently, drying his hair out and spat a small stream of water from his mouth. "Robin, that's not Nowi, it's-"

"Father!?" the dragon said, with an excited giggle. She descended back to the ground and stood in front of the four, still in her dragon form. "Nowi, I don't know what happened between you two, but I don't appreciate you attacking Chrom like that!"

The dragon-girl shifted from her dragon form back into her human form and tackled Robin, hugging him tightly. "Father! Father, I've found you again! I was so worried!" she squealed with glee. Robin, Lissa and Frederick looked at the green-haired girl in shock. Chrom wrung out his cape, which was torn and riddled with teeth holes. The young girl turned Robin around and hid behind his back, peeking at Chrom with hostile eyes. "Father, this guy tried to attack me! And worse, he even ripped my coat! I'm sorry I couldn't fight him better..." she said. Everyone stared at the soaking wet prince in disapproval. "Eh... It's a funny misunderstanding..." he chuckled.

"Okay, it's obvious some explaining is in order... Do you guys mind if I speak with this girl alone?" Robin asked. No one objected. "Alright then." Robin walked away with the girl holding onto his arm the entire time. When they were far enough away the girl looked at Robin in curiosity. "Father? Where are your glasses?" she asked. "And... what happened to all your wrinkles? You look like you're 20 years younger, at the least! Did you drink some odd potion or something? And where did you get that coat? I thought you only had one! Where are we anyways? How did we-" the girl was cut off by Robin placing a finger over her lips.

"Let's calm down for a second. First of all, can you tell me your name?" he asked. The girl tilted her head at her father's odd behavior. "My name? You know my name is Morgan, Father... Are you feeling okay?" Morgan placed a hand on Robin's forehead. "Hmm... you don't seem warm. Maybe we should go home anyways and get you to bed."

"Hold on a second. Let me just take a look at you." Robin said. He smiled and stared at Morgan's features, cupping her soft face within his hands. Morgan didn't have to confirm anything, Robin could tell she was his his own flesh and blood. She had his chin, his tan skin and she even had his coat. She also had some of Nowi's features too. Her long ears were covered by her natural green hair, her amethyst irises and even though he couldn't see them, he could feel her sharpened fangs when he examined her face. She even had a small strip of hair that pointed upwards, sitting at the top of her head, just like Nowi's but a lot smaller. Robin then wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "Morgan... My Morgan..." he said, sniffling a little bit.

"Father... are you crying? What's wrong?" she asked. "Nothing's wrong, sweetheart... I'm just really happy to see you." Robin said, a tear of happiness running down his face. Now he knew how Chrom felt when he found Lucina. He pulled back and looked at his daughter again, rubbing his tears away. "Morgan, I have a lot to explain to you. So, please try to keep an open mind about things, alright?" he said.

* * *

The entire ride back to Port Ferox was spent with everyone explaining everything to Morgan. The previous war, how Chrom met Robin, the Valm invasion, everything. Morgan now truly believed that she was in the past, but she didn't remember the ruined future that Lucina spoke of. Actually, she didn't remember much of anything, when she thought about it. Lucina certainly remembered Morgan, and how she watched over her and the others in the future, but Morgan didn't remember anything but Robin, and even that was spotty in some areas. She doesn't remember her past, Chrom, Ylisse. She didn't even remember Nowi, her own mother. All she remembered was Robin, and how they studied with each other all the time and played strategy games. She was certainly happy with her future father, but she felt guilty that she forgot everything else. Most of all, her mother.

"Well, don't worry about it, Morgan." Robin said, tussling his daughter's hair. "I was a lot like you a few years ago, but I've gotten along just fine. Whatever you don't remember, me and your mother will help you pick the pieces up."

"Mother..." Morgan mumbled. The young Manakete felt ashamed that she forgot about her own mother. When she was growing up, her father was the one that taught her about her dragon powers. "I'm sorry Dad... I wish I knew about my past more. I don't even remember that much of you." she said, leaning against her father's shoulder. She was about the same size as Nowi, give or take an inch shorter. "Don't you worry about that, sweetheart. We'll work that out. When we get back to town, I'll have someone fix up that coat of yours, and I'll introduce you to your mother."

Morgan tried to remember what her mother looked like. Nothing came up at all. She was drawing a complete blank. If not for her father saying so, she would have thought that Robin was an only parent in the future. "Dad, what's Mother like?" she asked.

Robin wrapped his arm over his daughter's shoulders. "Your mother is the greatest, Morgan. She's a full-blooded Manakete, so she may look a bit young, but she is a lot older than you'd think. She's the sweetest woman I know and I'm sure she'd welcome you with open arms."

"Okay..." Morgan said, biting her knuckles. She explained that she does that when she's nervous. She gripped the spine of her worn tome as the group approached Port Ferox. The sun was setting into the ocean, giving the port town a beautiful golden view.

Once the group arrived into town, Robin walked with Morgan to the inn where the Shepherds were staying. Morgan looked all around Port Ferox in blissful wonder. Everything seemed so new to her. She clung to her father's arm the entire time, as if he would disappear if she let go.

The two arrived at the inn and found Nowi and Robin's room. Before going inside, Robin held Morgan to the side. "Listen, Morgan, I'm going to go and speak with your mother for a bit. Just wait out here, and I'll bring you in to meet her, okay?" Morgan nodded and leaned against the wood of the inn-house as her father walked inside. She wondered what her mother would be like. Would she be accepting of her future daughter? Would she reject her because she didn't belong in their time? Why didn't she remember her anyway? Maybe she was abusive to her. All these thoughts swirled around in Morgan's head. She just couldn't help but think about this. Her father probably wouldn't speak ill of his wife, so everything he told her could have been false. He was a master tactician after all, he could make even the most ridiculous lies sound true. He taught her that misdirection was part of any good trap. The more she thought about it, the more it frightened her. She crouched down on the cobblestone road and hugged her tome close to her, biting at her knuckles again.

For a while, she heard voices from the room. She couldn't make out what it was they were saying, but it didn't sound hostile. That was probably a good sign. She waited patiently for a while until the door creaked open. "Morgan? Come on in." Robin said, leading the tactician-in-training by the hand.

Robin closed the door behind them and held Morgan in front of him, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Go ahead, sweetheart. Introduce yourself." Robin said. Morgan had her eyes facing the floor the entire time. At the moment, all she saw of Nowi were her purple boots. She brought her head up slowly to look at her mother. She had the figure of a young girl, about the same as herself, if not slightly older. She raised her head until she was staring at Nowi's face. She was very pretty. Her long blonde hair that gleamed into a shimmering green shade like hers and her sparkling eyes that matched hers as well only proved that the woman standing in front of her really was her mother. Nowi smiled the entire time and waited patiently for Morgan to speak.

"U-Um... Hi..." she squeaked shyly. "My name is Morgan and... Are you my mother...?" she stammered. Her heart pounded and she held onto her tome even tighter, waiting for her to respond. "Hello, Morgan. Yes, I am your mother. It's nice to meet you." she said warmly. Nowi looked at the book that Morgan clutched. She must be a book worm like her father. "Morgan? Can I see that book you're carrying?" Nowi asked. Morgan didn't want to part with her precious book, so she turned it around to show her the cover. It was old and worm. The insides were filled with dog-eared pages and the title was visible but scratched out somewhat. Despite it's worn state, Nowi recognized that book. She reached under the bed of the room and pulled out her copy of _Swords, Axes, and Lances _to show Morgan. "I know that book. You father gave it to me a long time ago. It's nice to know you've been taking care of it." Morgan inspected Nowi's copy of the book. It was the exact same book. Morgan's version was faded from the many years it endured. Nowi's copy was in near perfect condition. They both even had the large ink blot in the last few pages.

"Morgan, come over here." Nowi finally said, setting the book down on the bed. Morgan hesitated for a bit, but a small nudge from her father gave her a bit of courage to approach her. Nowi gently took the book from Morgan and set it down, removing anything that would interfere with them. Nowi then embraced her daughter, just as her husband did, before her. She placed kiss upon kiss on Morgan's face and hugged her tightly, swaying from side to side. "Oh, Morgan, you're so beautiful." she said.

Her mother's words broke down the last of Morgan's barriers. She truly was the sweetest woman ever. Her very touch made her feel so safe, just like her father. She returned her mother's embrace, wrapping her arms around Nowi, tears bursting free and streaming down her face. "Mother... Oh, Gods Mother!" she cried. Nowi continued holding her daughter, tearing up as well.

"I'm sorry to hear that you've forgotten me, but I promise, I promise you that I'll be there for your future. I love you, Morgan." Nowi reassured, stroking her daughters smooth green hair. A wide smile, the very same as her mother's was spread across her face through her tears. "I love you too, Mom!" she sobbed.

The girl who was forgotten by time had finally found her mother, but most importantly, she found her home.

* * *

**A/N: Mai Gawd, there's so much fluff in this chapter that I got a cavity while writing it. Welp, Morgan has finally arrived, and found her kinda long-lost mother! **

**And next chapter, her sister, Nah, will join up with the army!**

**EDIT: Forgot to add a thing or two here. First of all, yes, I did in fact copy Chrom's conversation with 'Marth' when they met in Arena Ferox. I thought it'd be a funny deja vu moment. Second, for the curious minds, Morgan's specialize weapon is Seliph's Blade. It's somewhat of a disjointed pun. ****Elwood was Roy's dad and Seliph was the child of Sigurd. The pun being that Robin holds a father's sword, while Morgan holds a child's sword. Originally, I was thinking of having her wield Roy's Blade, but Seliph's Blade looks more regal and in-line with Elwood's Blade... Plus it's stronger!**


	20. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Morgan stared out the side of the convoy as it pulled into Ylisstol that early morning. The convoy had been traveling through the entire night and Morgan was restless to see her home that she couldn't sleep. She marvled at the quaint buildings and various shops that dotted the roads of town. The smell of the local bakery, the display balcony of a fine clothes shop. She could hardly believe how she could ever forget it all.

Robin yawned as he began to wake up from the now-bumpy ride of the wagons due to the cobblestone roads. Nowi was curled up next to him, draping some of his coat over herself to keep warm. He brushed his silver hair out of his eyes and spotted Morgan looking about from place to place. "Good morning, Morgan." he greeted with a raspy voice, rubbing his eyes of sleep. When he tried to get up to sit with his daughter, he could feel Nowi tighten her grip around him and nuzzle into his chest; clearly he wasn't going anywhere.

The convoy began passing through the residential areas on it's way to the palace. Morgan looked at the homes that lined either sides of the road and the town square, seeing many people and children play in the streets. "Father, which house is ours?" she asked, sitting on the edge and lazily kicking her legs. "Oh, well, we aren't going to be living in these houses, Morgan. Our home is... a tiny bit bigger." he responded. The wagons began to travel up through the town square and up the road to Ylisstol Palace. As they passed through the gate, Morgan gasped as she saw the large building in front of her. "This, Morgan, is our home."

The young tactician marveled at the palace walls. "Woooow." she gasped. "_This _is your idea of 'a tiny bit bigger'!?" she said. Robin chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well... It pays to be humble?" he said disingenuously. Nowi rubbed her eyes and yawned lightly. "Ugh, morning. Are we home yet?" she asked.

Everyone emptied out of the convoy, stretching their muscles out from sleeping in the company of wagons. Morgan yawned of exhaustion, having stayed up all night and was ready to call it a day. "Home sweet home. Do you want a tour, Morgan?" Robin asked, placing a hand on his daughter's head. "No... I just want a place to sleep for now..." she said. "Alright, I'll just take you to the guest rooms then. How about you Nowi?"

"I'm fine. Slept like a baby the whole way." she chirped. "Babe, now that we're back, I was going to visit Maribelle again. Do you want to tag along? I think she'd be thrilled to know we're married."

"I like that idea, but for now I think we should just settle in. We've got to find a room for Morgan, plus some preliminary things need to be set up for the trip to Valm. And, to be honest, I could use some more sleep right now. The ride over was a bit rough." he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm a bit stiff from the way I slept..."

"Alright. I've waited two years, I supposed a day or two wouldn't be asking for much. Let's get you to bed."

* * *

_Two weeks later..._

The palace was quieter than usual today. Except for the maids walking about, keeping things tidy, no one else seemed to be around. The only people around right now were Lucina, who was watching over her younger self and Morgan. For the past four days, there have been reports of pillaging and Risen attacks all over Ylisse. Chrom and Sumia were gone around the entire continent settling these issues, along with Robin and Nowi and the entirety of the Shepherds. Utterly bored, Morgan wandered throughout the large halls of the palace. She memorized the layout so she wouldn't get lost anymore as she would days before. Without much else to do to fill the day, she headed towards her parents room. She was still obsessed with trying to remember her mother that sometimes she'd peruse through her things to see if anything would trigger a memory or two. Either that, or slam her head against a tome she thought was big enough.

Gently pushing the door open, Morgan stepped inside and shut the door behind her. She had passed by her parents room plenty of times, but never actually gone in. She did respect their privacy, but boredom was quickly eating away at her that she just had to find something to chew up some time. The room was very neat and organized, more do to the maids efforts and less so of Robin and Nowi's organizational habits. The room had a very light scent of roses, possibly because of Nowi; her hair always smelled like roses, because of the effects of transforming into a dragon. The scent felt familiar to Morgan somehow. Whether it was because she was also a Manakete, or because despite her memory loss, she still had a flicker of what her mother was like. She walked around brushing her hand on various surfaces. Tables, chairs, Robin's desk, where he always had a stack of papers because of his Grandmaster status. Morgan remembered this desk. Her father would always be sitting here, scribbling something down or just reading. He always looked busy, but in truth, whenever Morgan needed him, he always stopped what he was doing to tend to her needs. He was still like that, even in this era.

She sat down at his desk, and rifled through the many drawers he had. Each one was filled with more and more papers, extra quill pens, ink, and one certain drawer had a half empty bottle of potent mead; for those particularly long nights. The curious Manakete plucked the bottle from the drawer and read the label, "Breath of Dragons, a Feroxi spirit. This used to be Father's favorite." Lightly popping the cork off the bottle, she took a light sniff of the ale. The sheer potency of the brew was enough to make her retch and want to toss the bottle out, but she fought such thoughts and simply screwed the cork back into place and set the bottle back into the drawer.

With nothing special to look for, Morgan grabbed some of the papers that lay strewn about the desk and peeked at what was scribbled on them. What she found was actually quite interesting: One particular piece of paper was a miniaturized map of the Ylissean continent with crosses, circles, and arrows drawn on many points. Many of these areas were on the many coasts of the continent, some on the farthest points and small islands that were close to the mainland. Most of these points were crossed out except for one: To the eastmost point of the continent was a small island that remained without a cross. It only had a circle and a small star scribbled next to it. Morgan read the bottom of the page where the star was scribbled also and a short sentence was penned next to it. _'Lowest priority'. _

"What could this be?" she wondered aloud. "Is this where Father and Mother are going?" The patterns all over the mini-map puzzled the tactician-in-training. It was as if these were points of interest that they were attending. Robin did tell her that the Shepherds have been needing to deal with many Risen attacks and random acts of violence that broke out after the Valmese invaded Port Ferox. This one point that had not been checked yet was probably their last point. Morgan took the page off the desk, rolled it up and placed it in her coat pocket and ran to the nursery to find Lucina.

The fully grown princess was busy entertaining herself, that is her younger self, while her mother and father were away. Baby Lucina was only a few weeks old, yet she would get very cranky if she was away from her mother for too long. Already setting her down for a nap, Morgan quietly creaked the door open to her nursery. "Lucina, come out here for a moment, I've got something important I want to talk about." she whispered.

Quietly stepping away from her younger self's crib, Lucina followed Morgan into the hallway, shutting the door. "What's so important, Morgan?" she whispered. Morgan lead the navy-haired princess away from the nursery and plucked the small map of Ylisse from her coat, unfurling it and holding it aloft to show Lucina. "Well, our parents have been gone for a few weeks now, and to be honest, I'm starting to get worried." Morgan said.

Lucina looked at the map, crossing her arms in confusion. "I am too, but what do our parents have to do with all these scribblings?" she asked, running her index finger across the many arrows etched on the page. "I think they may be going to these areas to help out with those attacks they mentioned. See the crosses and circles? I bet those are places marked for departure." Lucina eyed the many places across Ylisse. Her father did take the entire force of the Shepherds with him when embarking on this mission. "It's possible. Is that all, then?" Lucina asked. Morgan huffed at the impatient lordling. "I'm getting to it." she whined. "See this one point here?" She pointed to the uncrossed circle on the island located northeast of Ylisstol. "It doesn't have a cross running through it. And down at the bottom, this little message ranks it as 'low priority'. So, you think our parents might skip this area entirely, or save it for last?"

Lucina rubbed her chin when contemplating Morgan's question. Chrom was never the kind of person to ignore help. Even if it was seen as insignificant. It was that very drive that lead him to discovering Robin, afterall. "It may be that they only save this area for last. But, Morgan, why is this important, exactly?" Morgan rolled the page back up and placed it back into her coat pocket. "Well..." she answered coyly. "I was thinking that... me... and you could go over to that area and check it out for them? It would make their workload a lot easier." The half-Manakete looked up to Lucina with begging eyes. Despite the wounded-puppy treatment, Lucina remained adamant. "Absolutely not. Look, our parents will take care of things. It's in our best interest to just stay in the palace and await their return." she answered. Morgan's body drooped a little in disappointment. "Awww, c'mooon!" she begged. "I'm so bored just sitting around here doing nothing! I can't go shopping in the market because I have no money, and mother says that she doesn't want me flying about the palace and raising a rukus..."

"Precisely." Lucina responded, with a pat on the young girl's head. "So let's just do what our mom and dad say and just stay put until they return. If you want something to do, you can always train with me." Morgan was unamused by the offer. "Ah, forget it. I'll just go there by myself. And I'll be back before my parents will even know I left. You'll see!" she giggled. As Morgan was set to walk off, Lucina held her tightly by the hood of her coat. "Oh, no you don't!" she called. "If your parents happen to return, and they find out I just let you go, we'd both be in trouble! And the last thing I need is father being disappointed in me." Out of instinct, Morgan swatted Lucina's hand away from her coat. "Don't grab my coat!" she shouted. Lucina quickly covered the loud girl's mouth and shushed her. "Not so loud!" she whispered. "If you make to much noise, you'll wake the baby, and I just put her to sleep."

A switch went off in Morgan's mischievous head and her lips curled under Lucina's fingers into a devilish smile. She calmly pulled her head back from the princesses grip. "Oh really?" she mused. "Well then. It would certainly be a shame if little Lucy was woken up, wouldn't it?" she asked rhetorically. Morgan sauntered slowly over to the nursery, her arms curled behind her back and she stood in front of the dooor, facing opposite of it, looking at Lucina with the same devilish smile. Lucina leered back at the sneaky tactician and narrowed her eyes. "What are you going to do...?" she asked. "Oh, nothing~. Nothing drastic... See, I've just been so upset at losing my memory that sometimes I bash a tome on my head. But now, I'm thinking that this nice, big, wooden door would be a better alternative." Lucina cringed at the thought of Morgan smashing her head on that door and waking her infantile self. She was all to familiar with how loud her cries were, and how long it would take to put her back to sleep.

"You so much as _lean _on that door, and I swear I'll take your head off with Falchion myself... Your parents can always make another Morgan, after all..." Lucina threatened. "Hm. Maybe." Morgan said. She leaned her back against the door anyway and leaned her head forward, ready to smack it against the door. Lucina reached for her sword at her waist, but when she grabbed for it, she caught nothing but air. Looking at her hips she realized that she had accidentally left Falchion in the nursery. "What's wrong? Can't find ol' Falchy?" Morgan teased. Blushing at this embarrassment, Lucina stood straight. "Fine... But we're only leaving for a TWO hours." she emphasized the number. "One minute more and we're heading straight back home. Am I understood?"

"Yes ma'am!" Morgan gleefully saluted.

* * *

After entrusting the maids with the welfare of young Lucina, the older counterpart and Morgan, now in her dragon-form, were soaring quickly through the skies. They had just flown over Breakneck Pass and were just heading towards the sea. Lucina, who was riding on Morgan's back found difficulty in keeping her eyes open because of the wind blustering in her face from Morgan's flight speed. "M-Morgan! Slow down! I might fall off if you keep going like this!" she yelled over the wind. Morgan continued flapping her wings and maintaining her speed. "But you said we only have two hours! I want to make sure we do as much as we can here before we go back!" she yelled back. Lucina gripped her hands around Morgan's scaly back tightly as Morgan did the very opposite and kicked her speed up.

Seeing the island coming into view, Morgan flew even faster, causing Lucina to scream for fear of falling into the sea. Her grip began weakening as Morgan descended upon the island. Once they were upon the ground of their destination, Morgan gently fluttered groundward and allowed Lucina to hobble off her back. Her hair was a mess and she had the strongest urge to vomit, but she remained strong against such a vulgar action. Such was beneath a princess. "Ugh... That was too rough..." she wheezed, holding her stomach and leaning against a rock. Morgan shifted back from her Dragon-form to her human one and pocketed her Dragonstone. "I thought it was tons of fun!" she squealed. "I've never been able to just fly freely like that. I can't wait to do it again!" Lucina groaned at the thought of the return trip. "I think I'll need a nap of my own after today..."

While Lucina took a minute to regain her composure, Morgan unfurled the page from her coat to look at the island. The size seemed a little bit exaggerated as it appeared much bigger on the map that it should have. There was nothing on this island except a small ring of trees and a large mansion in the distance that Morgan could see from where she was standing now. The mansion gave off an eerie aura, as if it were haunted. The apprentice tactician couldn't help but stare at it, as if it was calling her. Like something inside was waiting for her to discover it. Lucina stepped beside her friend and looked up to the large manor.

"They call this the House of Lost Souls." she said. "A friend of mine once told me it belonged to a family of greedy aristocrats who attempted to overthrow one of my father's ancestors and gain control of Ylisse, but were cursed by their own avarice, and now, their entire family lurks within these walls as spirits of the undead." Morgan only shook her head and scoffed. "I don't believe in ghosts. Father always told me to never take something superstitious at face value."

"Have you already forgotten of your encounter with the Risen at the old ruins a few days ago?" Lucina remarked.

"That... Well, technically, that's not superstitious. The Risen have been proven to be real, but I've never once seen a ghost in my life... Well, not that I can remember anyways... At least, I don't think... Did I?" she asked, scratching her smooth spring-green hair.

"Don't hurt yourself Morgan. Now, can we go back home please? We've already visited the island and, as you can see, our parents aren't here. Now let's be going."

"Just a second! We can't leave yet!" Morgan pleaded. "Sure, nothing is on the surface, but maybe there's something in that house? I get the feeling there's something in there that's really important."

Lucina crossed her arms and looked back up at the mansion. They did make the effort to fly all the way here... Plus the longer it would take to put off Morgan's flight trip, the better. "Alright." she sighed in resignation. "We'll take a look inside. Though, honestly, I doubt we would find anything of interest in there."

Morgan's smile from Lucina's permission spread to both of her long ears and she grabbed the lordling's gloved hand and ran towards the large house. "Yay! Let's hurry then!" she exclaimed.

* * *

**A/N: Mini-bite-sized-chapter today. Since I normally don't work on fanfiction on the weekends, I found some extra time to update for a little bit, just to keep you guys from starving for more. **

**Also, I'd like to announce that I have set up a poll for who the next MUxX should get a story next once MUxNowi have their shot. I figured it would be a lot easier than rummaging through Private Messages all the time. So cast your votes! And make them count, because you only get to vote once! **


	21. Chapter 14

**A/N: IMPORTANT MESSAGE at the end of this chapter, please read. Thank you.**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

Through the creaky and dusty, run-down halls of the Manor of Lost Souls went the sound of leather boots slapping against rotting wood. Deafening creaks rang through the unnaturally cold house as Morgan and Lucina cautiously stepped inside. Beneath their feet lay a carpet that used to be red, but now turned to a sickly purple color due to dust and Gods know how many years of decay. The air was stale and tasted ancient, as if the doors to this house had not been opened for centuries. Fortunately, lighting was plentiful as lanterns on the walls remained aflame, and the girls walked deeper and deeper into the bowels of the mansion.

Morgan held her arms and rubbed them vigorously to stave off rising goosebumps from the chilly air that surrounded them. "Wow, I never expected this place to be so put together..." she said, with puffs of visible breath. "You think an old house like this would suffer some sort of structeral damage alone... but other than dust, it seems totally fine." Morgan rubbed her finger across a suit of armor that was caked with dust, leaving a streak of reflective armor on the chest plate and a thick patch of gray dust on her finger before rubbing it on her coat sleeve.

"Clever point. This manor has been standing for ages. Yet it seems almost pristine..." Lucina agreed. The two rounded the first corner of the inner house and found themselves in a large foyer. Paintings of the manor's previous masters adorned the walls and more suits of armor beside each of them. The lanterns that lined each frame gave the room an overall feel of creepiness that nipped at Morgan's spine. She was almost set to leave this dusty hovel when her sharpened ears began to twitch in response to something.

"Huh...?" she turned her head to the origin of the sound. "Lucina, did you hear that?" she asked. Lucina merely shook her head. "I could have sworn I heard something... Like a voice..."

* * *

Somewhere else in the walls of the manor, hurried footsteps and gasps for air were heard echoing down the massive hallways. They originated from another 'visitor' who resembled a girl wearing only a white blouse, and a red cape with matching boots, and a satchel slung over her shoulder. Her silver pigtails dangled from left to right as she ran down the hall escaping from whatever lurked in the darkness. Rounding the corner, the girl held her chest and gasped for air from her marathon through the house.

"huff... huff... huff... Did I... did I lose 'em...?" The girl peeked her head around the corner. Whatever was chasing her was gone now. Whether it gave up the chase, or if she outran it was unclear. Either way, she was relieved to have a moment of peace. "I can't believe this... I'm utterly lost. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea coming here in the first place..." she said. The girl pressed her back against the wall and slid to a sitting position and hugged her knees close to her. "Okay, just keep calm, Nah. You'll be- Wait a second... Why was I even running?" The girl, Nah, plucked a glowing green orb, a Dragonstone, from her satchel and looked intently at it. The stone had a crack running down the center of the otherwise smooth surface. "I'm a Dragon for crying out loud! They should be running from ME!" she exclaimed. "Next Risen shows his face, I'll show him..." she declared.

As if answering a challenge, a pair of ominous glowing, red eyes peered at Nah through a suit of armor just across from her. The slots that were open for the mouth and nose leaked a thick purple fume and a low airy groan uttered from the suit. Nah looked up at the suit of armor that instantly became mobile and pointed it's sharpened spear at her. "Of course..." she deadpanned.

Getting back onto her feet, Nah held her Dragonstone aloft. "Alright, I'll show you I'm not helpless!"

* * *

Lucina looked on as Morgan busied herself with trying to find the source of the very human-like noise she heard. At the moment, she was pressing her long ears against the musty walls of the room they currently occupied. Knocking a few times on the walls, she called out to whoever may be there. "Hellooo~?" she sang. Lucina tapped her foot, waiting for Morgan to finish her little sideshow.

"Found anything yet?" she asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Morgan only rolled her eyes in response. She had practically gone from one end of the room to the other and had not heard what she picked up earlier. "Well... nothing on this side. Time to try the other." she said, trotting to the other wall.

Growing frustrated, and frankly, allergic from all the dust, Lunica placed her hands on her hips, fed up with this goose chase. "Morgan, I know I said we have a two-hour time limit, but as far as we've traveled, we've not seen anything but dust in here..." she remarked, wiping one of her gloved fingers across a column on the wall. "To be honest, I've partly forgotten why we've come here..."

Lucina leaned against the wall while Morgan continued examining the other. Suddenly, a loud, rumbling thump was heard. Not quite sure which direction it came from, both girls looked around the dimly lit room. Yet another loud thump was heard, accompanied by the sound of metal scraping and clanking together. Lucina reached for Falchion in preparation for what may come, while Morgan held an Elfire tome she kept in her coat. A brief moment of silence caused both to hold their breath. A bead of sweat trailed across Morgan's forehead, waiting for whatever the cause was to show itself.

Yet another large rumbling thump was heard, followed by a terrible screech from some sort of large beast, and finally, the northern wall that Lucina previously occupied erupted in dust and broken bits of the wall with a terrible crash. From within the walls rose what looked like a monster, the likes of which the two had never seen. Crushed in it's large jaws was a suit of armor that was all but destroyed utterly. Dropping the armor to the floor with a heavy clang, the beast moved closer towards the girls. When the dust settled, it took the clear form of a Dragon, with smooth purple scales.

"Lucina, stand back!" Morgan ordered, pulling her Dragonstone from her coat pocket, tossing her tome aside. "I'll take care of this!" Holding her Dragonstone skyward, Morgan transformed into her Dragon form and stood face to face with the beast.

Lucina stepped in between the two Dragon's, arms spread defensively, "Morgan, don't! That's-" she started, before Morgan tackled the other. Things quickly escalated into an all out brawl between the two. Scratching, screeching, and fire flooded the room as the two faught fiercely. Lucina tried her hardest to deterr one from the other, but with her small stature compared to two mighty dragons, there was little she could do. Eventually, the purple-scaled Dragon got the upper hand and pinned Morgan to the ground and opened its jaw wide, charging a potent blast of fire. Lucina intervened once more, tossing Falchion, still sheathed at the purple dragon. The blade struck the beast enough to make it flinch and disrupt their attack. It's emerald eyes darted over to the princess and in a split second, its attitude changed from hostile to one of excitement.

"Lucy!" it cried in joy in it's distorted voice. Leaping off of Morgan, the Dragon shifted from its current form to its human form, Nah. Nah embraced Lucina and giggled enthusiastically. "Lucina, I'm SO glad I finally found you! What are you doing here? ...And, who's this?" she asked, looking at the tuckered out Morgan. The princess gently patted Nah's head. "Nah, it's good to see you again. I was afraid we might be separated forever. And, nevermind us, what are _you _doing in a place like this?" she asked.

"You first." Nah demanded. Sighing at Nah's familiar stubbornness Lucina walked over and picked up Falchion off the floor, then knelt near Morgan's exhausted body, rubbing her snout. "We came here to see if our parents were heading in this direction... As for who this is... It's her, Nah."

The silver-haired Manakete crossed her arms. She was a bit skeptic on who this person was. It was obvious that she was a Manakete, as she briefly saw her human form. She scratched at her long ears, thinking who this person was. They were a Manakete that Lucina and her both knew, but it couldn't have been who she thought it was. Eventually, the possibility crept into her head and she slowly approached them.

"Lucina... This can't _really _be her... can it?" she asked. Lucina smiled and nodded in response. Nah looked back at the Dragonkin that laid before her and was nearly brought to tears. "S...Sister...?" she whispered, her voice on the verge of breaking. Still half out of it, because of the fight she lost, Morgan tilted her dazed head to the blurry figure before her. Shifting back into her human form, she stood up and rubbed her throbbing head. Once Nah set her eyes upon the human form of Morgan, she immediately recognized her. Her spring-green hair was unmistakable; This truly was her long lost sister.

"Morgan!" she cried, and threw herself at the dazed girl. "Morgan! I can't believe it! I finally found you!" Nah squeezed her sister tightly, and rocked her back and forth. "Gods, Morgan, I thought you died years ago! What happened!?" she asked. Nah assaulted Morgan with question after question. Where she had been, what she was doing, what happened to her after they were separated during childhood. She barely gave her any time to speak. Lucina, who sat by them, grew worried at the interogation. Morgan had lost her memories when she was found, how would Nah react when she finds out her only family had completely forgotten about her? The lordling silently cursed herself for neglecting to even bring up her sister when she had so many chances to.

Morgan rubbed her head until her senses fully returned. Although she was aware of all the attention she was getting, she grew increasingly confused at this mysterious person's questions. "I'm sorry, but who are you...?" she asked. Nah, still desperately holding her little sister laughed at her question. "Ah ha! Morgan, enough with the games! It's been so long since I've seen you, don't pull a joke like that!" she playfully scolded. Morgan looked to Lucina for support. Unfortunately, Lucina couldn't bring herself to look back at her. "I'm not playing games, miss... Do I know you... Do you know me?" she asked.

Nah's annoyance was starting to pique a bit. She had just now found her sister, who she thought was dead for nearly 7 years, now was not the time for her kiddie games. "Sis, that's enough with the japes..." she said, pulling away to look at her sister's face. She had aged so much since their time apart. "Now be serious, where have you been? How did you come back to the past with us?" she asked. The green haired Manakete was still utterly confused, but this person called her 'sis' and she was definitely a Manakete. Putting the pieces together, Morgan did come to the conclusion that they had to be blood. She had the silver hair her father had, and if she had the powers of a Dragon, it was more than enough proof.

Relief and excitement painted Morgan's face as she finally found someone who could tell her about her past. Putting her hands on her supposed sister's shoulders, she asked with enthusiasm, "Hey! You're my sister, right? Tell me! What was the future like!? Did we live with mom and dad? What was I like!? Who's older, you or me?" she asked, in the same frantic fashion her sister did, just five minutes ago. However, opposite of Morgan's mood, Nah was extremely scared and worried for her sibling. She didn't sound like she was joking.

"Morgan... Why are you asking me such things? Don't you remember your own sister...?" Nah asked. Just as Morgan began to respond, the three girls heard a multitude of ghastly moaning coming from all around them. Somehow, an immense amount of Risen had surrounded them, while they were occupied in conversation. Lucina unsheathed Falchion and prepared to fight, but flinched in hesitation when she saw the enormous amount of enemies they would face.

"On second thought," Nah said, standing up "we can talk later. Let's focus on getting out of here." Morgan wobbled to her feet and reached into her coat for her Elfire tome, afterwards, she slapped her forehead in utter embarrassment because she tossed it to the side just before fighting with Nah, which was now lost among the sea of Risen. Even if she would use her Dragon powers, she was still roughed up from the fight, and transforming under fatigue was something she was told to never do.

"Okay, Lucina, Morgan, we'd never stand a chance against this many Risen. I've got a plan." Nah grabbed her Dragonstone and held it close, for when she needed it. "When I give the signal, I'm going to transform, and you two grab onto me and we'll fly out of here... And brace yourselves because the way out may get a bit... bumpy." The other two nodded in agreement and shuffled close together, as the Risen all hobbled closer to them. Some of these Risen were waring old, tattered noble clothes. The legends of the noble family that lived in this house must have been true; Lucina couldn't help but giggle a bit at the reality of what was supposed to be a simple ghost story.

The Risen drew closer to the three, they were no farther than a stone's throw. Some that possessed the mostly decorative armor had razor sharp spears aimed at them, ready to let fly, while others had very strong dark magic tomes. Nah concentrated on the proper time; It had to be right when they were ready to attack, because if her timing was off, they would be vulnerable to a counterattack by the enemy.

Finally, spears went soaring through the air and Nah thrusted her Dragonstone skyward. "Now!" she yelled. In that instant, she transformed into her Dragon-form, knocking away the spears with her large wings. Lucina and Morgan grabbed onto her and held tightly, and Nah rocketed off into the roof. Her wing span, which was slightly larger than Morgan's, gave her enough power to smash right through the five large floors of the home, and eventually burst through the roof and into the sunlight. Nah then headed south to the edge of the island, past the forest.

Once they landed on the ground, Morgan and Lucina let go of Nah and fell onto the soft grass. Both dusted their hair and clothing off from rubble and dust that they accumulated from their ride out of the manor.

"Alright, that's it. After the return trip to the palace, I'm never going to ride on a Dragon's back ever again." Lucina declared, wiping the last of the rubble from her shoulder. Though Morgan got a laugh out of Lucina's comment, Nah was in less than a happy mood. Still in her Dragon-form, she leaned down, lying on her belly and faced Morgan.

"Sis... Are you alright? Back there it almost seemed like you didn't remember me." she said, her voice distorted with the influence of her stone. "I mean... I know we've been separated for a very long time, but you have to remember me at least, right?" she asked. "Don't you remember all the years we spent? The foster home we grew up in? How much I protected you when we were bullied by the other village kids?" Sensing how upset Nah was, Morgan couldn't bring herself to just outright say how she suffered from amnesia. The only reaction she could manage was biting on the edge of her knuckles. But Nah knew what that meant, "You used to do that all the time when you were nervous... So you really have forgotten me..."

Lucina sighed and gently rubbed her gloved hand on the distressed Nah's head. "This is partly my fault why she doesn't remember you, Nah. It's a bit of a long story. I'd be willing to tell you the whole thing if you would fly us back home... Slowly, that is."

* * *

The entire time the girls flew back to Palace Ylisstol, Lucina divulged all the details about Morgan. How she was found, where she was found, her first few moments with her mother and father in this time period and her peculiar memory loss. Morgan did explain that because she had memories of her father, where Nah had never even known her parents, it was possible that she is from a different timeline altogether, however that still didn't explain why she had completely forgotten about her mother, or her sister, and large pieces of her father. Despite this, Nah was just relieved to have her sister back.

"Well, if what you say is true, then I guess as your big sister, It's my job to help you through this tough time, Morgan." said Nah, her previous bout of depression overshadowed by her sibling duty. The three soon began soaring from over the sea, back over Breakneck Pass and closed in on Ylisstol. On Morgan's behalf, Nah opted to land in the palace courtyard rather than the town square. She had yet to apologize to some of the merchants for accidentally smashing their carts on her last 'grand' entry, but also to raise less suspicion with an unfamiliar face landing in town. Once they arrived back home, Lucina was relieved to find out that her father had not returned yet, as odd as it seemed. Nah was awestruck at the palace surroundings. She had visited it a few times when she joined Lucina's band of Shepherds in the future, but she had never seen it so... put together. The palace she knew was dilapidated and practically falling apart from frequent attacks. Really, everything astounded her; From the lively town just a walk away to the view of actual flowers. She had never seen flowers before, even after spending the last two years traveling the world.

"It's so hard to believe that the world looked like this so long ago. I still remember how terrible everything was, growing up."  
Morgan nervously bit her knuckles again. It hurt her a little bit that she had the luxury of not remembering such a terrible time, yet her own sister carried that burden, on top of having a sister who didn't even know she had one herself. "Nah...?" she sheepishly asked. "Yeah?" Nah answered. Morgan walked up to her big sister and wrapped her arms around her shoulders in a light hug. "I'm sorry..."

"_You're _sorry?" Nah scoffed. "What do you have to be sorry for?"

"I'm sorry that I forgot about you... You had to live through some hard times, and here I am not able to remember a thing. It's not fair to you... I'm really sorry about that." Nah was taken aback slightly at how Morgan would put this kind of blame on herself. Reciprocating her sister's hug and a light pat on her upper back, she responded, "Don't be sorry, Morgan. I should be the one apologizing. If I had just been a better guardian, I never would have lost you and you would probably still have your memories back. Naga knows how terrible your ordeals must have been to cause that to happen. But I promise, I'll do a better job this time around. Nothing's going to tear me away from you. Not even the Fell Dragon again."

Morgan giggled a little at how dutiful her sister was. Even if her memory was wiped clean, she did feel a familial connection to her, just as she did with her mother and father. "Hehe, you sound just like Mom when I found her." she said. Nahs eyes widened a bit when she heard her speak of her mother.

"Mom? You met our mother here!?" she asked.

"Yeah, and our dad, too. Didn't we ever know about them growing up?"

"Not me. Like I said, I don't remember Mother or Father. All I have to remember them are pictures and this ring I have." Nah removed one of her brown gloves and showed Nah the gold band with a blue gemstone set in the center. "See?"

Morgan grabbed her elder sister's hand and looked at the ring. It was a bit tarnished from over the years, but otherwise, completely identical. "This is Mother's wedding ring Nah." she stated. Grabbing her younger sister's hand into her own now, Nah grew even more excited, knowing her parents were alive still in this era. "Morgan! You have to tell me everything you know about our parents! Tell me what they were like!" she pleaded.

Morgan laughed again at Nah's behavior. First, she acted like their mother, now she was acting like her. "Wow, I guess we really _are _sisters, huh?" The younger sibling placed her arm around the shoulder of the older and walked inside the palace. "Sure thing, and I'll show you my room. We could always bunk together!" she squealed. "Now, let me start with Dad, he's the coolest!"

* * *

**A/N: Well, well, well. Here comes Adrien, who doesn't keep his promises and uploads a whole week late, leaving his fans angry and resentful. He'd better have a durn-good expl'nation for why he's late!**

**Well, before people start lining up to set fire to my home, I do have a pretty good explanation for why I've been SO LATE this passed week.(Not really, but I'm hoping people will understand.)**

**First off: Work. Plain and simple. I've had to put in a few extra hours and it's chewing up my free time so I haven't been able to write as much as I want to, and I really do want to write more. While I'm not going to make some empty promise of how I'll do better, I will say that more than likely, I'll be uploading a tiny bit more frequently after this upcoming week ends. I know it sucks, but you guys are patient if you've waited this far. Seven more days probably won't kill you. **

**Second, at time of writing, I was doing a side-story, called Spilled Blood and Broken Memories that explains my interpretation of how Morgan lost her memories. Don't get too excited though, it's just a one-shot... A very LONG one-shot, which is where a bulk of my time went into writing. By the time I've uploaded this chapter, it should be up on my profile, so go and check that out when you're done here.**

**As always, I thank you guys for your patience and your support. This story would not have gotten this far without your awesome reviews, PMs, views and even your votes on the new poll! Please continue to support this story and vote for the next at your leisure. **


	22. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

For the past two weeks, after Nah found her way back to Lucina and her sister, The Shepherds continued their mission on answering the distress callls around the continent. What was supposed to be a simple mission to clear out any riffraff, turned into a large recruitment campaign. They did find thieves and Risen galore when answering each call, but in between those calls, they found so much more. Just as Lucina said to Chrom and Robin one month previous, she had traveled back in time two years ago with her friends, but became seperated. As luck would have it, the Shepherds found most of them while answering these calls for help.

Chrom's group had taken the left coast of the continent, while Robin commanded a group to head for the East. Together, they were able to find five of the lost children, and every single one of them were eager to see their parents again. Kjelle, Severa, and Yarne, the respective children of Sully and Stahl, Frederick and Cordelia, and Vaike and Panne, were found by Chrom. Noire, the daughter of Virion and Tharja and Laurent, the son of Miriel were found by Robin. As a result of the great distance the two groups traveled, neither knew of the other's progress. Despite this, most of the locations they covered were seen to and it was time to return home.

As usual, Robin was settled in the lead wagon, reading his tactical books as his group traveled out of the eastern desert. Thankfully, the sands were not as rough as Plegia's, so the trip would not be as strenuous, and since the eastern desert was much closer to Ylisstol than Plegia, the trip home would be just a few hours away. While flipping through the pages of his newest tactical book, Nowi laid her head on his lap, as she did whenever she asked for something during these long trips.

"Robin? How about a massage?" she asked. The tactician took his eyes from the text on the page and looked at his wife. She had that smile on her again, the one that she would always flash to him to make it very difficult to deny her any request. "A massage? I, uh, don't think I can help you with that right now, dear."

Reaching a hand up to feel his silver locks, Nowi puckered her lips in a mock-pouting facial gesture. "Aww, why not? Nowi's shoulder's are all stiff from that last fight. I need a pair of strong hands like yours to give me a nice rub-down. Pleeeease~?" she whined. "You wouldn't want your beloved wife to go on with such agonizing pain, would you?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Robin looked at his companions, who were pretending not to notice. Most of them at least; Virion discreetly gave Robin an approving nod, and smirked. Placing a hand on Nowi's head and caressing her blonde hair, he smiled at her. "I'd never want that, honey, but... Well, we're in the presence of company, and such things should be taken care of in a more... -ahem- _private _setting."

Nowi rested her hand on Robin's chest and exhaled, "Fine. But remember, the SECOND we get back home, I want that massage. You have no idea how stressful it is to use wings as a Dragon for a long time."

Virion flashed Robin a discrete thumbs up afterwards, signaling Robin used the right choice of words. Rolling his eyes, the tactician held Nowi's hand in his. "Alright, love. As soon as we reach the palace." he responded.

"Oh, and don't even think about trying to escape to the library like you did last time!"

"Escape?" he scoffed. "Nowi, I told you that was unintentional... Morgan pulled me away so I could find her that treatise on tactical analysis and and-"

Nowi silenced her flustered husband by placing her index finger on his lips. "You can spout out big words all day long, but remember that you belong to me when we get home, alright?"

Having given up on justifying himself, a small grin curled under Nowi's finger. Holding her hand away from his mouth and gently squeezing it, he looked into her amethyst eyes and said, "I promise."

* * *

In the palace, as Lucina was in the courtyard, practicing her daily fencing drills, Nah and Morgan sat around in their room discussing more and more about their lives. Morgan spoke about her foggy passed with her father, and her new memories of her mother, while Nah spoke about the foster home the two grew up in. At first, the amnesia made it difficult for Nah to speak with her own sister, it was as if she was an entirely different person. Even so, the younger sibling never stopped trying to reestablish a connection with her. She was overly excited at having a big sibling to look up to.

For the past two weeks, they had tried many experiments to try and recover some bits of Morgan's lost memory. Typically, Nah refused anything that involved Morgan and inducing head trauma. The misguided tactician even suggested Nah beat her with a tome and yell at her, thinking the physical and emotional bashing would only prove to help. Lucina always supervised these escapades to make sure Morgan wouldn't injure herself, sometimes failing in the process. Morgan's latest scheme involved her asking Nah to drop her on her head from a high height off the palace wall. Needless to say, that plan was shelved and earned her a verbal thrashing from Lucina and Nah she certainly didn't want.

Lying on her belly, perusing through a new book she aquired from the library, Morgan looked up from the pages for a moment to see her sister once again riffling through a small red satchel she always seemed to carry around with her. Dog-earing the page, Morgan rested her head on her arms and asked about the bag itself and it's contents.

"Oh, well, I was just looking through some of my things I brought back with me to see if I have anything that might help you remember your past." Nah responded. Rummaging through the bag, she finally pulled out an old stuffed rag-doll made in the shape of a dragon. The stitching around the edges of the doll were hand made and falling apart in some places. As a result a bit of the stuffing was showing from the slightly torn thread. "Do you remember this?" she asked, holding the doll in front of her.

Morgan reached out and held onto the plush, ragged doll. It didn't look familar to her. She shook her head after a quick through, but continued to examine the plaything.

"That's our stuffed dragon that our step-mother knitted for us when we were kids. I remember we used to fight over her a lot." she giggled. "One fight got so bad that we ended up tearing her in half and I remember you crying the whole night. I hated to see you cry, so I asked our step-mother to fix her up, then decided to give her to you instead. You were the only family I had growing up, and I didn't want us to fight over some dumb doll."

The younger sibling couldn't help but smile at that. "Wow. I can only imagine how we must have been so childish back then over something so small. We get along pretty well now, it seems odd that we would fight." She tried to hand the doll back to her sister, but Nah held a hand up in defiance, pushing it back to her. She didn't need to say a word; That doll was hers now. A gift from their childhood. Poking at the small beady eye of the little dragon, Morgan pointed to Nah's satchel that hung over the chair in their room. "So, what else do you have in there? Show me anything you want! I have to admit, this is much more enjoyable than bashing my head against a tome."

Nah nodded and continued shifting through her things. Aside from a spare set of clothes she carried around since she arrived in this time and her Dragonstone, the only other thing she had in her bag was a red tome with a symbol on the front. Unlike normal spell tomes, the symbol didn't reflect any element Morgan had ever seen. It looked like a large comical bag of gold being pierced by a sword, and at the bottom in very small letters read a small message: _"Anna Original"_.**  
**

The green-haired girl raised her eyebrows in wonder as she looked upon this new, undiscovered book. "Ooh! What is it? Is it some sort of new magic spell from the future?" she asked.

Nah only shook her head and grinned in amusement. "Well, yes and no. It's not like traditional magic that you would use on a battlefield. It's more of a... utility. This particular one is called a Snapshot Tome. Lucina gave it to me a long time ago after you and I were separated. It captures a moment in time and preserves it forever in it's pages with a bright flash. Want a demonstration?"

Morgan cocked her head to the side. The very thought of capturing a moment in time was bizarre. It was still very interesting though, and the process seemed harmless enough. She nodded her head and waited for Nah to demonstrate the power of this 'Snapshot Tome'. Instructing her sister to hold still, Nah opened the book to a center page and after the pages whoshed by in its bindings for a short period, a quick blinding flash hit Morgan's eyes, causing her pupils to shrink and flinch. After a surprised yelp and a minute or so of rubbing her eyes, her image prior to her reaction to the flash was recorded in one of the many blank pages of the book. Nah handed the book to her sister, who was still blinking from the flash's after-effects.

The young tactician looked in awe at the very image. It was like someone had instantly painted her very image in the pages of the book. "This. Is. Amazing!" she exclaimed. "Just think of all the memories you've probably captured with this thing! It'd be perfect for helping me get my memories back!" Clutching the book close to her chest, Morgan looked up to her older sister. "Nah, would you mind if I held onto this book for a while? I just want to study the other images and see if anything comes up."

With an amused giggle, Nah answered positively at her sister's request. Seeing her smile like that just like she used to, gave her a feel of gratification as an older sibling. A feeling that she had long lost when she was separated from her after so long. Just as Morgan began excitedly flipping through some of the occupied pages, she heard the bells of the palace tower chime in the distance. She knew what that meant; Chrom had returned with the Shepherds after their month-long mission. She gasped with joy at the thought of seeing her parents again after the long month. Saying she had grown lonely would be an outright lie, as she was always in the company of her sister and Lucina, but she loved being in the presence of her mother and father nonetheless.

Resting the tome to the side, on their bed, Morgan grabbed Nah's hand and rushed out the door. "Nah! Let's get down to the grand hall! Mother and Father are home!" she squealed. Nah quickly skidded her boots across the smooth floor of the palace to prevent her little sister from dragging her any further. "Morgan, wait!" she called. "I... I don't know if I'm ready to face our parents just yet... Maybe you should go on without me for now."

Morgan stopped tugging Nah down the halls and looked at her, puzzled. "Huh? But, I thought you _wanted_ to see Mom and Dad. Don't tell me you're getting cold feet now." she teased. Although, her rhetorical statement proved true when she noticed Nah looked to the floor instead of her. "...Sis?"

Nah sheepishly drew her hand back to herself from Morgan's grip. "Morgan I... I'm not sure if I'm quite ready yet. Understand?" she asked. Morgan looked to her sister and crossed her arms. "You know what? No, I don't."

"What?"

"I don't understand why you feel like you're not ready to see our parents. You said you never knew them, right? You should be bursting with excitement at finally being able to meet with them."

Nah fiddled with her right silver pigtail and sighed. "Look... The truth is, I'm kind of afraid to meet them..."

"Now I really don't understand..." Morgan responded, scratching her head. "Why would you ever be afraid of them?"

"Because... I don't know if they would accept me."

"Why would you ever think that? They're your _parents, _Nah; They'll always love and accept you."

"I'm sure they would Morgan, but... Well, the truth is I don't know if they would care for me as much as they do for you. Even though I will be born before you, you technically came into their lives first. What if they don't give me the same attention that they do you?"

Morgan uncrossed her arms and waved one hand dismissively. "Nonsense. Nah, do you really distrust our parents so much that you _honestly _think they would show any less attention or love to you just because I came along first?"

The only response the older Manakete could muster was a simple shrug. "Well... Yes. I've never met them before. To me, they're total strangers. I can't possibly be expected to just open up to them so quickly." she admitted.

Morgan stepped forward and placed a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Okay then. Don't trust our parents. But, do you trust me?" she asked.

Meeting her eyes, Nah responded with a possitive 'Of course'. Other than her friends and sister, there was no one else in the world she trusted more than them.

"Then trust me when I say that Mom and Dad will be delighted to see you, Sis." With a response like that, Nah couldn't continue on with her shyness. She so very desperately wanted to see her parents for the first time. She wanted to meet the heroes that saved Ylisse from a Plegian takeover and stood up against the Fell Dragon. With a relenting sigh, she slowly began walking in front of Morgan making her way to the grand hall. "Alright, Morgan. You win. Let's go and see them!"

"YES!" Morgan squealed. She quickly grabbed her sister's hand and ran through the corridors to the hall to meet with her parents. As she and Nah made it to the large front doors, and the tower bells chimed their final time, Morgan darted from left to right thinking of some fantastic way to surprise her parents with ther newest, and technically, first addition of their family. Nah just stood and watched her energetic sibling babble incoherently and mumble to herself about what to do.

"I've got it!" she finally said, snapping her fingers. Again, tugging Nah by the hand, she ran to one of the decorative columns next to the large staircase. "Okay, you just wait here and when the time is right, I'll come and introduce you! I'm so excited~!" she exclaimed, trying very hard not to scream in excitement. Nah just rolled her eyes and did what her sister bid staying perfectly still behind the column.

The large doors creaked open and the mid-afternoon sun bled into the palace, followed by a substantially larger group of Shepherds. Morgan was caught off guard by the almost doubled amount of members there were now. None of them looked familiar to her, so she figured they were new recruits her parents and Chrom enlisted on their mission. The excitable Manakete looked around until she identified her parents, walking past the crowd, with Nowi wrapped ever-so tightly around Robin's arm and shoulder. She ran to them, with open arms and a wide smile.

"Mom! Dad! Welcome home! I missed you guys!" she exclaimed, jumping at the couple and trapping them both in her grasp. The tactician and Manakete reciprocated their daughter's hug and smiled at her still abundant energy; A kind reminder that they were home at last. Finally letting go, Morgan breathlessly began telling them about her new discovery. "Mom, Dad, so much has happened since you guys left! I honestly don't know where to start! Well, first, I tried to get my memories back, so I started slamming my head against a bunch of hard walls and tomes, then I got nauseous and passed out... Then, I tried doing target practice with my dragon-breath in the garden... and I'm not allowed there anymore because I ruined some... most of the flowers... By the way, don't tell Uncle Chrom that I accidentally made one of the servant women quit because of that. But the MOST interesting thing was-" The sprightly tactician was then cut off by her father smiling gently and tussling her spring-green hair.

"Look, sweetie, I'm sure a lot has been going on in the past month, but I'm sure it can all wait until later. Right now, I promised your mother some alone time." Robin said. Nowi nodded in agreement and nuzzled even more into his shoulder.

Clasping her hands together, Morgan tried to continue. "I understand! Mom and dad time, lovey-dovey, making babies, and all that. But before all of that, I've got something extremely important to show you!" Runnning off back towards the columns, she left her parents standing, waiting for her to return. Robin raised an eyebrow and pointed to his daughter in the distance and looked at Nowi. "Uhm... Did she really just say _'making babies'_?"

An amused grin curled at Nowi's lips and a strong blush accompanying it. "Well, Morgan does have to be born sometime~." she teased, winking at him. The very gesture itself, and the way she lightly squeezed his arm that she was already wrapped around made Robin's temperature rise a bit, causing a blush of his own and a nervous chuckle. "R-Right."

Morgan ran right back to her parents, who were stuck in their own world right now, but snapped out of it to acknowledge the new face their daughter brought to them. "Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet Nah." she said, standing behind this new character and holding her shoulders. Robin and Nowi both looked at the silver haired girl and politely waited for her to introduce herself. It would take a while though, as she found the floor to be a more interesting site than them.

Taking in a small breath, Nah finally looked upon the face of her parents for the first time. First, to her mother. The one who blessed her with her dragon heritage. She looked to be about the same age as her, maybe a year or two older. Her sparkling amethyst eyes stared back at her and a small grin. Her long blonde hair that faded into a spring-green caught her eye rather quickly. She wished she could have such extravagant hair like that. Then she looked upon her father. He stood about 2 inches taller than her mother. His brown eyes were also kind, and full of curiosity. His silken silver hair also caught her gaze; Now she knew which side of the gene pool she inherited her eye color and hair color from.

Nah tried to work up some of her courage to speak, but in her hesitation, Robin was the first to break the ice. "I see you have long ears. You must be a Manakete, just like my wife and daughter." he said, maintaining a grin. Nah looked up to Robin in surprise. He already caught onto her species so quickly? Well, he was already married to one, and Morgan did say he was quite smart. "I also see you have silver hair. And, according to Morgan, your name is Nah, yes?" Nah only nodded at her fathers questions, but still couldn't find any words to speak to him. She was mentally scolding herself for wanting to just wrap her arms around her parents and cry and tell them how much she wanted to meet them, but her reluctance wouldn't allow her to.

Again, Robin being the one to take the initiative, held an arm out to the girl with a gentle smile. Nah looked at the gloved palm and then to his face, confused as to why he offered his hand. "It's okay. I know who you are." he said with a small laugh. Nah's heart stopped for a moment when she heard him say that. It was the moment of truth now.  
Nowi also smiled, even wider now, and nodded her head. "Me too!" she chimed.

Still skeptical if he meant he knew her species or her heritage, Nah brought her hand up to shake Robin's. Once their palms met each other, he pulled her into him and embraced her. He held her in his arms protectively and rested his chin on her soft hair, a large strip of which tickled his nose, making him laugh a bit. She had the same little cowlick that Nowi and Morgan had, but to a greater extent. Tightening his hug on Nah in a still gentle grip, ne murmred into her soft hair. "Don't worry, Nah. I know who you are without you saying anything. And, I'll tell you the same thing I told Morgan when I found her."

Nah's eyes were beginning to swell with tears when she heard those words. She was positive that he knew of her bloodline, and the fact that he embraced her so eagerly, so warmly, melted her fears away. Morgan was right; No one had the say anything, her parents truly were delighted to finally meet her, and she couldn't wait to do the same. Pulling back from the hug, Robin looked into Nah's eyes, which had a tear of happiness stream down her soft pale cheeks, and a quivering smile that so desperately wanted to speak to him and his wife for what seemed like an eternity. Gently wiping away her tear with his thumb, Robin smiled again, looking at her, ready to convey his message.

"Welcome home, daughter. Even though we haven't had a chance to properly meet you, know that your mother and I love you very much."

* * *

**A/N: Finally, the time has come for Nah to meet with her loving parents! This one took a deceptively long amout of time to write despite it's relatively short word count because I had to delve a little bit into Nah's mind and think with her point of view on what it would be like to meet with parents you've never met before. I think that extra time paid off in the end, but you guys can be the judge of that.**

**Also of note, I've been keeping an eye on the poll, and to be honest, I'm not surprised at all at the results. Though there is a bit of a tie going on between two lucky ladies. I'll just have to sit back and see which one comes out on top! **

**Fun Facts: Did you know that even though Tiki is over 2,000 years older than Nowi, they are the exact same height? No joke. Crazy, huh?**

**Oh yeah! Thanks for the 20,000+ views! :D You guys are always awesome! **


	23. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

_One Month Later_

The time was coming closer and closer when Chrom would be expecting a messenger from Plegia to inform him of the preparations for their departure to Valm. In the weeks that passed by, Robin busied himself in the library, reading countless books on the history, topography and general layout of the continent. With some help from Virion and his introverted daughter, Noire, he gained sufficient knowledge on the continent. Morgan volunteered countless times to help with his studies, but the stubborn tactician insisted that he should take on this duty alone, being the Grandmaster of Ylisse. He would always further his point by saying that Morgan was still a child and she should just continue her training or spend more quality time with her mother and sister. Despite her father's insistence on working by himself, Morgan would always dust off a few books Robin missed, just in case she wanted to prove her tactical genius.

The tactician-in-training walked through the halls with a stack of books in her hand when she heard the voice of her mother call for her. She struggled a little to look at Nowi over the large stack of books she carried.

"Morgan, you wanna play with me today?" Nowi asked, sporting her iconic smile. Taking note of the large stack of books Morgan carried, Nowi shook her head. "I can't believe this. You, your sister AND your father all do nothing but read books lately. I can understand why Robin would at a time like this, but you and Nah just spend day after day with your nose in the books..."

Adjusting the books to keep them from falling, Morgan peeked her head from the side rather than the tip. "Sorry, Mother. The truth is that Father is working so hard for the battle ahead, and I thought I'd help him out a little. You know I want to be a tactician like him right? There's no better way to form strategies than by collecting knowledge from many places. Dad told me that all the time."

Nowi crossed her arms and blew a dismissive raspberry at her daughter's typical response. "Listen, hon, I know you want to help your dad with the fights ahead, but reading books isn't the only way you can help, you know."

"But... I don't know any other way I can help."

"That's what Mom's here for! So drop those boring books and meet me in the courtyard with your sister! And bring your Dragonstones, too!" Nowi demanded. She walked passed Morgan, who tried to protest, but only continued walking passed her. Realizing that her mother was just as stubborn as her father, Morgan sighed and hobbled back to the library with the books she held.

* * *

Within the hour, the three dragons stood in the large courtyard used for training the troops. Instead of Frederick training the soldiers of Ylisse, he elected to have them watch from the sidelines for Nowi's "playtime" with her children.

"Oookay! Listen up kids, because we're gonna play your mom's favorite game! You've got your Dragonstones like I asked, right?" she shouted in a tone that Frederick adopted when ordering the troops. Morgan and Nah held their stones out to confirm their possession. "Great! Now, get ready, because we're gonna play... Wrestling!" she announced, triumphantly pumping her fist skyward.

The sisters only looked at each other in confusion. This wasn't what they had in mind when Nowi invited them for playtime. When a mother typically wanted to play with her kids, it would be something less... physical. Like hide and seek or picking flowers, at least, that's some of the things that Morgan read.

"Listen up ladies!" Nowi shouted, pacing back and forth, mimicking Frederick yet again. "The object of the game is to pin down your foe for 10 seconds! The only rule is no dragon-breath. Our scales can take the heat, but I can't say the same for the grass or the walls. And especially our viewers up there!" she waved to the troops who were eager to see Dragons battle up close. "Don't bother taking it easy on me either, your mother is an undefeated champion! Why, I've beaten Minerva three times in a row! Now who'll be the first one to step up!?"

Again, the sisters looked at each other and shared faces as if they were having some sort of mental conversation.  
_'You're the older sister, YOU go first!'  
'You're right, I AM the older sister, and I'm telling YOU to go first!'_

Eventually they somehow came to an agreement between each other and Nah stepped forward. "Alright! Nah's up first! Show me what you've got!" Nowi said. Morgan ran off the grass to watch the carnage unfold. The two transformed into their Dragon forms and immediately began fighting each other. The battle looked quite feirce, almost like a real battle between two dragons. It was hard to believe that this truly was how Nowi 'played' with others at times. Minerva did seem to enjoy it though, despite being pounded into the dirt on multiple occasions. Nah also seemed to be having some slight enjoyment of this rough-housing, though she would still prefer a calmer means of entertainment.

Tails twisted and wings flapped violently as the two tried to get the better of the other, ultimately ending with Nowi pinning Nah down and Frederick finishing the violet dragon's defeat with a countdown. All the troops who watched, Morgan included, were awestruck and quite frankly, terrified at the display of strength these beasts possessed. The latter was especially fazed, as she had a forte in combat using magic tomes and sword-fencing. She didn't recall any training with her Dragon powers, and Nah was self taught. She was definitely not looking forward to the thrashing her mother was going to give her, fun or no fun.

After finishing the match, Nowi and Nah shifted back to their human forms, with Nowi barely showing a bead of sweat, and Nah covered in grass clippings and a bit of dirt. Nowi helped her daughter off the ground, who spat a bit of grass after getting up.  
"Ugh... That was... sort of fun." Nah remarked, dusting her soiled blouse off.

"Good effort for a first try, Nah." Nowi said. She gently patted Nah's back and let her hobble off the square patch of ground and looked at Morgan with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Mooorgan, your turn!" she beckoned. The younger sibling's pupils shrank as she saw her mother called for her.

"N-No thanks, mother! I'm perfectly fine with watching that last game... I'll uh, just be going now!" she stammered. Morgan attempted to walk away, but was quickly stopped and turned back around by Nah who had just as devilish a grin as her mother.

"C'mon, little sis. Dont'cha wanna spend some quality time with mommy?" she mocked. She pushed her little sister forcefully to the middle of the courtyard, with Morgan skidding her boots in defiance the entire time. The only response Morgan could give was a hushed and somewhat squeaky, "I'm scared..."

* * *

In the library, Robin continued his research with books upon towering stacks of books. Virion helped in some small aspect, sharing his knowledge of Rosanne and some of the other neighboring countries, though most of his "help" was him spending hour upon hour of sidetracking Robin with stories of his heroism and many noble pursuits. Thankfully, his daughter Noire, though a bit more sheltered than her father did get to some points of interest. Though after the 12th story of how Virion established connections between many noble Houses across Valm and Ylisse, the weary tactician decided to call it a day. He wanted to meet with the new recruits of the Shepherds anyway. Not so much the children, but two people he had met while searching for them. One was a farm hand named Donnel, who most in the army affectionately refereed to as 'Donny' and a mysterious merchant, Anna, who he could have sworn he saw before. He hadn't gotten the chance to properly meet with them after they returned to the palace. He was so dedicated to being prepared for a war that he neglected to speak to his fellow companions from time to time. Even Chrom himself had asked him to take a break after nearly an entire month of being shut away in the library. They weren't expecting a response for a few more weeks anyway.

Slamming his book shut and laying it to the side, Robin stood up and cracked his back.  
"Ah. I think that's enough for today." he sighed. Picking up the many number of books and placing them back on their shelves, while Virion turned his attention from himself to Noire for his storytelling, Robin slipped out of the library while the nobleman was distracted. He made his way to the Shepherd's garrison to meet with his friends after such a long day. Everyone was simply sitting around and talking about what they looked forward to in the future battles to be fought. Some were ready to take on the world, while other relented at having to go to war once again.

The tactician walked into the garrison and was greeted with waves and calls. Of course he waved back and returned their calls but he was here to meet with the new people who were recruited into the Shepherds. For the moment, Donny was busy talking with Frederick on techniques to build some muscle and be of more use to the group; a conversation he once had himself a few years ago. Anna, however was more or less by herself, polishing her vast collection of weaponry. Just like the day they met in that snowfield, she always had a tan backpack stocked with numerous weapons that would shame an arms dealer. Thankfully, with the Shepherds being her comrades-in-arms, she would cut special deals for them only... And by 'special deals' it means she would sell her wares at their normal retail price rather than triple the normal cost. Robin wondered how she managed to stay in business with such ridiculous prices.

The ever-smiling, red-headed trickster looked up from her stock and waved happily to her approaching friend. "Heya, handsome! Haven't seen you around in a while. Interested in a new blade?" she chirped. Robin held his right hand up in both defense and a half-greet. Just as her eternal grin and her large pack, she also had a penchant for always asking people if they were interested in her wares. To her credit, she did have high quality weaponry. "Good afternoon Anna." he responded. "I'm not interested in a new weapon. I just came here to see the newest recruits to our group. I'd say hello to Donny, but he seems occupied at the moment." Robin gestured his head towards the farmboy, who was comparing his scrawny arm to Frederick's leaner one.

Anna sat back and set her weapon and shining oil aside, leaning against the stone wall of the building. "Well it's nice to know our master tactician cares enough to see his soldiers every now and again."

"You misunderstand, Anna. I'm simply here as a man who wants to visit his friends. Sure, I may be a tactician and I do give commands on the battlefield, but to me, everyone in the Shepherds is a valuable friend. Give me some credit!" he laughed. Anna's carefree attitude could come off as a bit rude at times, but Robin knew she never meant anything by it. Taking a seat next to the merchant, He sighed and slumped down in relaxation. It was nice to finally get out of the library. Looking at the crowd of friends that chatted before him, he spoke in a low volume to Anna, "So, were your sister's able to procure _it_?" he asked.

Tapping her index finger on her chin, Anna thought about his vague request. "_It_?" she repeated. Robin looked at her out of the corner of his eye and raised his eyebrow twice, somewhat leading her on. The sudden realization made Anna's crimson eyes sparkles as she confirmed his question. "OH! _That!" _she exclaimed. Turning to her overstuffed bag, Anna ruffled through the many weapons that sat inside. Robin wondered how she didn't cut herself on all the finely honed blades that she carried around with her. After watching her co comedically fumble through her wares, she pulled free a thick, black book with a symbol emblazoned on the front cover. The same one he possessed on his right hand. _  
_

"Here you are. This wasn't easy to get, lemme tell ya. Had to call in a favor to have someone snag this from the Plegia Castle library. You're lucky every one of my sisters are also excellent thieves as well as merchants." she boasted, handing the book to him.

"Huh, that's funny, I thought you were only good at thieving behind store shelves." he mumbled.

"What was that?"

"I said, 'Wow, you do really well for yourselves'!" he shot back with a nervous chuckle. "A-Anyway, thank you very much for securing this book, Anna. I really do owe you one." Robin politely took the book from her and began flipping through the pages. As he held the binding carefully in his hands, Anna spotted the Brand on his left hand.

"Hey, nice ink. Tribal?" she asked. Robin took a second to peek at his hand and was reminded of his mark. Sometimes he would forget he had it. Ironically, it was because of it that he knew what to ask for when informing Anna of the book he wanted weeks prior. "Oh, this? No, it's no tattoo. This is my Brand. Just like the one Chrom has. I've been trying to unlock the mystery behind the symbol, hence why I asked for this book."

Anna swiftly held Robin's hand in her own, inspecting his Brand. Unlike the one that decorated the cover of the book, this one had an eerie feel to it, as if it were alive. She could swear the six eyes that dotted his hand were staring back at her. While she was distracted by the symbol, Robin cleared his throat to signal her to release his hand, which she thankfully did, following a quick apology.

"So, if that's a Brand, then that means you descend from Dragons, right? Cool!" she said, her cheerful demeanor clashing with Robin's now shocked realization. "Gotta admit, I should have seen that coming."

Robin was taken aback by how she said something so out of place, yet skated by as if it were nothing. "Sorry, rewind back a bit. You said my Brand signals my heritage?"

"Yeah. What, you mean you didn't know about that? I'm surprised. All the time you spend with your nose in those books and you never came across the significance of the 12 Brands?" Robin only shook his head, his eyes slightly widened fron interest. He had poured over several scrolls and texts in the library, though admittedly, they were more about strategy maneuvers rather than historical texts. The rare ignorance of the tactician caused Anna to laugh. "Amazing, to think someone with a Brand wouldn't even know the story!" she exclaimed, continuing to laugh. Eventually she calmed down and sat straight to convey the knowledge Robin was visibly desperate for.

"Alright then, I'll try to give you the short version. Have you ever heard of the Jugdrali Holy War?"

"I have." Robin responded. He recalled reading about the exploits of a brave lord and his son working together with the Dragon Gods of their time in an epic war. Unfortunately, that was all he bothered to read about. The only other reference he could draw upon was the book '_Ribald Tales of the Faith War' _that was supposedly based on the events. "Thou admittedly... Not very much."

"Well, they say the 12 significant heroes who fought in the war received Brands from the Dragon Gods they fought for as proof of their bloodlines and as a badge of honor. Since then, everyone who descends from those heroes bears the Mark of their respective ancestral Dragon. Chrom's got one, and Lucina's got one too."

"I see. That's quite something. So it seems my relationship with Chrom stretches farther back than I thought." he chucked. "But wait, what did you mean when you said you 'should have see that coming'?"

Anna pulled softly at Robin's silver locks in response. "It's the hair. They say that the descendants of Dragons always have unusually colored hair. I mean, look at Chrom, again. He's got navy-blue hair! Navy. Blue! Have you ever seen a shade of hair like that without treatment!? And you, you've got shining silver locks that look like slivers of a finely crafted blade. Aaaaand, let's not forget that cute kid of yours. Morgan was it? She's got GREEN hair, and she's directly related to a dragon. Did you think it was some sort of coincidence? That's not even mentioning that those heroes would end up with noble blood. I'll bet if you asked, that Virion guy might have a Brand." Robin's expression from Anna's explanation was somewhat priceless. His mind tried calculating everything she just said, and even though it clicked, just the fact that she explained it so easily made his head implode.

"Amazing... I've never even questioned these things... I guess it's all the more reason to unlock the meaning of my Brand then." he mused. He especially clung to that last statement that those heroes would become noble posthumously. If it were true, it would further her point, as Validar was a King in his own right, and Robin was supposedly his son. The more he thought about it, the more it scared and intrigued him. More and more he wanted to delve into this book and see what other mysteries he could unlock about his past, and maybe his future.

Placing the black tome in his inner coat pocket, Robin stood up, ready to head to his room and read in peace. "Thanks for this book Anna. And thank you for explaining the secret of my Brand, I really do owe you one."

"Ah, it was nothing. But there is one way you could make it up to me!" she teased, slyly closing one of her eyes.

"And, what would that be?"

Instantly, Anna opened her bag full of her stock, and expertly laid it's contents across two crates she set up nearby as a makeshift shop. "Can I interest you in some of my fine wares? I've got a wide selection of tomes and blades, all yours for low, low prices that can't possibly be beat!"

Robin slapped his face, and exhaled in defeat. This woman just wouldn't leave him alone when it came to buying things! "Ah, damn... I should have just gone home..." he mumbled.

"You say something, oh, valued customer?"

"Yeah, I said 'How much is the Arcfire tome'?"

* * *

**A/N: This chapter is probably one of the silliest ones I've written in a long time. *looks back at the ending to chapter 4* Hee hee~.**

**I thought it'd be fun to play with Nowi and Anna's personalities a bit. I always found it funny that Nowi plays as a means of training, and in her support with Cherche, she likes to play wrestling, so I thought I'd do a bit of a combo deal. **

**As for Anna, well, being in a guild of so many sisters, stories are bound to be shared as they travel around the world. Not only that, but Anna has been around since Fire Emblem's first game and she says every generation of Anna's chronicle their adventures in a large book that they all read before taking up the trade as a merchant, so it makes sense that she would have knowledge about the Holy War.**

** Disclaimer though, that whole bit about the descendants of Dragons always having off-colored hair was just speculation on my part, so don't take it too seriously... I love making stuff up! :D**

**Last think to say though, at time of writing, I looked at the pole just recently, and noticed... there's a four-way tie! Never saw that coming! There's still a while before the poll closes so keep your fingers crossed, it looks like anyone's game, now!**


	24. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

The early afternoon sun was beating down brightly. Despite the clear sky and unmarred rays of the mighty celestial body, a chilling wind passed through the land. It was a sure sign that Summer was over, and the autumn months were beginning to creep in. It was Robin's favorite time of the year in particular. He loved taking long walks through town and the forests beyond and enjoying the seasonal changes. The changing of the leaves, the fancy coats that nobles and common folk wore on the city streets, and of course, the brisk wind that whispered gently through the air every day. Never too hot, like in the Summer, yet never too cold, as in Winter. It was perfect. In light of this perfection, Robin decided that he would spend his day outside the palace library and walk about town with his beloved wife. He would have invited his daughters to accompany him, but they had spent the entire morning until noon asleep. Obviously their sleeping habits were inherited from their mother.

The couple sat on a wooded bench in the town square, facing a serene fountain, that was shining with one part of it's reflective water, and a second part from the many gold coins tossed inside of it. Robin absently draped his arm around Nowi and leaned his head back with his eyes closed, inhaling deeply."Mmm, take it all in, honey. This truly is peace. Chrom and I have worked long and hard to make this happen. Gods, I'm going to miss days like this when we begin the campaign. Just sitting here, enjoying the view of people living their lives without a care in the world, next to my lovely wife and just taking it all in."

Nowi lazily rested her right hand on Robin's lap and curled her left around his arm that hung around her shoulders. "I know. I can't wait until we get this war business over with in Valm. I wanna share more of these days with you. Though, if I'm being honest, as long as I have you next to me, everyday is a happy day for me." she responded, nuzzling her head into his chest. A small blush seeing it's way across her cheeks. Robin leaned into Nowi's soft hair and inhaled the familiar scent of roses. "And the same for me. I only hope I can pull us through this alive. Contrary to my position, I really do hate fighting."

"That's good then. I don't have to worry about you seeking to be a tactician for other army commanders after this last war, right?" Nowi giggled.

"Right. I promise, after this war, I'm retiring. I'm hanging up my Grandmaster coat forever once we pull through this. I want to dedicate the rest of my life not to books and strategies, but nurturing my family. You, Nah, and Morgan are my greatest treasures. I've spent too many hours locked away behind musty pages in old books. That's no way for a husband and father to act." Robin lamented. As much as he enjoyed reading for pleasure, having to force himself for the sake of war was taking its toll on him. He would spend many sleepless nights reading. More often than not, he would fall asleep between the pages of a book than with Nowi, and Morgan would always offer her assistance every morning, only to be turned away.

Even more irksome to the tactician was his neglect towards Nah, who he had met just a month ago, but had barely made time for her. For either of his daughters, really. It seemed worse for Nah's case, as Morgan already knew him in her own time, yet Nah had never met either of her parents. Even though Nowi did her best to interact with and entertain the young Manakete, she almost never spent time with her father since she came back to them. "So, I've decided that from here until we depart, I'm going to put the books down. But to be frank, I don't know what to expect in this coming war. I won't know if I'll live to see the end of it. Anything is possible. In that sense, I'm going to spend time with you and our children for as long as I can."

Nowi gently squeezed Robin's hand that was wrapped around her and kissed the back of his palm. "Good, I want you to be around for as long as possible. To be honest, I don't want you out there risking your life, but it wouldn't be fair to our friends who also fight. And, I know I can never keep you from Chrom's side. He needs you almost as much as I do." Looking up at her husband, she spoke honestly, "Just promise me that you won't overdo it. I'll be by your side every step of the way, so don't push yourself to do everything alone."

"I understand, Nowi. But I want you to promise me the same. You may be a Dragon, but that doesn't mean you are invincible. My survival means nothing if you don't come back with me." Robin held Nowi with both arms protectively. "I don't want to lose you anymore than you do me."

The Manakete returned the gesture and nuzzled her face into Robin's arms. "Then, I'll leave my safety to you. You ARE the tactician of the group. I believe you'll pull us through just fine."

The couple stat together, speaking no more of war and continuing to cherish their moment. Nowi's mind couldn't help but drift to her daughters who were no doubt still sound asleep at this early hour, when she remembered something she had forgotten about. She never got a chance to visit Maribelle again after she came back home! The girl mentally kicked herself at having forgotten. It certainly didn't help that she did spend a whole month traveling around Ylissse with Robin and answering distress calls, or the previous month trying to learn more about her children and generally spending time with her husband. Through all that, never once did she remember to visit the noblewoman who she dared to call her sister.

"Robin... Since you're not going back to the books again, I've got a great idea on what we should do for the rest of the day!" she said, enthusiastically.

"I'm listening." Robin responded.

"Well, remember when I finally got back after my globetrotting trip? You said we could visit Maribelle soon. But with all the business we've been having to prepare for, I never got the chance. So, why don't you use this free time to come with me and visit her?"

The tactician ran his hand through his hair and sighed at the previous request she made months ago. Nowi was certainly right; They were supposed to see Maribelle and announce their relationship to her, but because of their month-long mission, and the previous month filled with watching over their future children, Robin neglected to take Nowi up on her request. "You're right. Maribelle doesn't even know you've returned yet. She didn't accompany us on our mission either. Gods, I can't believe I completely forgot to tell her!" he lamented.

Nowi got up from her seat and pulled at Robin's arms. "Then it's settled! We're going to Themis right away!" Robin got up from his seat as well and looked at the positioning of the sun, they could be home by the end of the day if they left now. "Alright, if we can catch a carriage in the next hour, we should-"

"Nuh-uh! We're going there, Dragon-style!"

Robin pursed his lips when he heard her phrasing. "Dragon-style?"

Without needing to explain, Nowi stood a good distance away from the fountain and used her Dragonstone to transform into a Dragon. She then leaned forward in a hunching stance. "Yeah, we're gonna _fly _there! It's way faster and more fun than some boring old carriage ride. And, as a bonus, you get to save some gold that you would have normally used to pay the driver! Now hop on!"

Reluctantly, Robin climbed onto Nowi's back. He really didn't have the stomach for flying. On many occasions, when he was ferried across a battlefield either with Cordelia or Sumia, he would clutch onto his stomach for dear life, and for hours afterward, would need to exercise breathing methods to calm his senses. "Nowi, I feel I must warn you, I get a bit of motion sickness when flying..."

"Don't worry, I'll take it real easy. Hold on tight!"

Supressing a whimper at the thought of flying on the back of a Dragon, Robin clung to Nowi's back and tightly closed his eyes. Nowi's wings began flapping gently, then, with a swift motion, the couple took off into the sky, much faster than Robin would have liked, with him screaming, desperately begging her to slow down.

* * *

In no time at all, the two had reached Themis and Nowi landed in the small town square. Robin dismounted from the back of the mighty Dragon and hobbled around, trying to grab onto something to balance him. Nowi shifted back to her human-form and waited patiently for her husband to finish being so over dramatic. After a brief battle with his stomach and breathing deeply, Robin regained his composure and wordlessly signaled Nowi to take the lead to Maribelle's manor. The two walked through the small town and in no time at all, reached the noble House that their friend presided over. After a knock at her door and a brief wait, the two were greeted by Maribelle who, without warning, snapped up Nowi into her arms and spun her around ecstatically.

"Nowi! My dear friend and sister, where has the time gone!?" she cheered. A large smile was spread across the noblewoman's face, wider than what Robin had ever seen before. Clearly these two shared a bond with each other much deeper than simple friendship. Judging by Maribelle's last statement, it boiled down to what he could only call sisterhood. Maribelle refused to put the small Manakete down out of sheer joy to finally see her again, so much joy that she had neglected to acknowledge Robin. He raised his fist up to his mouth and loudly cleared his throat to signify his existance.

Finally noticing him, yet still refusing to put Nowi down, Maribelle looked into Robin's familiar brown eyes and softly said, "Robin, darling, it's absolutely grand to see you here as well. But to see you both? What's the occasion? I do hope our little Nowi has finally worked up the courage to admit her feelings?" she said, giving Nowi an icy look.

"Maribelle, if you just put me down, then we can talk about it!" Nowi giggled. Maribelle politely set Nowi down and guided the couple into her home.

"My, oh my. How long has it been Nowi? Two years? I do hope you've found what you've set out to look for after all this time. Though I know such a time span is nothing to a Manakete. Please, you must tell me over tea." The three retired to the usual room where Maribelle usually spoke to her guests and companions. Robin had practically had her home memorized with his frequent visits over the past year. Nowi looked to many places seeing the subtle differences in this home that she briefly took residence in after the previous war. Nothing had really changed, everything was the way she left it. In a way it made her happy, seeing that the world didn't move as fast as she thought. The three eventually arrived to the tea room and took their seats, all sitting around the circular table.

"The new butler I've hired should be here momentarily. Please excuse him, he's... new." Maribele said, with a mischievous smile painted across her delicate face. Both Robin and Nowi knew that look she had, and instantly began to feel pity for the poor sap that fell under her no-doubt demanding employ. The brief silence was broken by said butler walking into the room. Robin looked upon the face of the man and could not help but speak aloud what his mind should have kept inside, "Oh dear Gods in Heaven, it's Gaius!" he said, laughing quite loudly at the thought of the former thief being reduced to a servant. Nowi now realized why Maribelle had that devilish grin, and cupped her right hand over her mouth to suppress her snickers.

The ginger-haired man only looked at Robin with murderous intent at his inability to keep quiet as he usually did. He corrected himself though and looked forward dutifully, and in the same dignified tone, he said, "Bubbles, please be so kind as to kiss the whitest part of my-"

"Ah-ah-ah, Gaius," Maribelle teased with a waggling finger. "Never forget to treat all guests with respect, lest I dock your pay for the week." Stilling his tongue, Gaius' right eye twitched. It was enough that he hated wearing the suit he currently donned, but having to stay quiet and not deliver one of his world famous quips was damn near heartbreaking. He even got rid of his trademark headband, and nary a sweet was placed in his lips. He was almost a completely different person. Robin and Nowi were right to pity the man who was wrapped around Maribelle's dainty finger. The thief-turned-butler sighed disjointedly and tried his hardest to be gentlemanly.

"Good afternoon, Lady Maribelle... How can I help you and your... honorable guests today..." he said, albeit dismissively. Maribelle only rolled her eyes at Gaius' lack of commitment to the role. "I suppose more training is in order. In any case, please see to it that my companions and I are served our finest batch of tea." Gaius walked off after Maribelle's orders, leaving the three to converse.

"So you two, tell me, what's happened between the two of you since Nowi returned? ...Assuming something HAS happened." Maribelle said.

A wide smile spread across the couples face. At the same time, the two lifted their respective hands and snowed Maribelle their rings. The noblewoman's eyes widened in utter surprise at seeing the two wedding bands that decorated their fingers. She gasped loudly and rushed over to their side of the table to get a better look at them. She eyed Nowi's ring with the blue gem embedded into a gold band. Then she looked to Robin's, a shining white gem in a silver band. "Unbelievable! You've FINALLY gotten together! Oh, how lovely!" she exclaimed. She grabbed both of their heads and hugged them close to her, finally happy, and relieved that they stopped wasting time and got together. "Honestly, you two took your sweet time in arriving at this point. Tell me, when is the wedding? You can bet your gold I'll be the first to be there!"

Nowi looked up to Maribelle, and adjusted her head, as her mouth was smewhat squished to the side with Maribelle's embrace. "Well, we're kind of already married in terms of Manakete tradition. But Chrom offered us to have a human ceremony. The thing is that we're not going to have it anytime soon since we've got to take care of business in Valm. You know what's going on already, right?"

The noblewoman released the two and returned to her spot. "Oh, absolutely. I'm well aware of our impending clash with those Valmese scoundrels. Honestly though, I'm not worried one bit. I have full confidence that our dear Robin will lead us back to safety just as he did before. However, it is quite a shame that something as terrible as war would hinder something so precious as your marriage."

"Oh, it's not so bad." Robin said, "The war part, yes, but I still consider Nowi my spouse as it is. Sure, we may not have had a ceremony in front of our peers, something that I intend to correct when we return home, but as long as I bare this ring, Nowi is my wife. Plain and simple."

"Besides, we've actually been really busy taking care of our kids anyways!" Nowi chimed in. Maribelle's eyes widened once again, though less so than the expression she had before. "I'm sorry... Did you say _kids_?" The disbelief in her voice was clearly evident when she spoke. She didn't expect them to have kids already. What concerned her more was that Nowi would have had to have been home longer than what she thought if they had children, especially more than one since Nowi did use the plural form. Having let the cat out of the bag a bit too early, Nowi nervously scratched the side of her head.  
"Oh... Yeah, I should have said so earlier. Me and Robin are going to have two children. Both girls." she said.

Gaius walked into the room carrying three piping hot cups of tea on a serving tray. He handed everyone their cups and stood waiting for further instruction. Maribelled held her cup in her hands and continued to look at Nowi's nervous face. "Wait, you just said you've been taking care of your children... yet you say you're GOING to have children...?" The blonde noblewoman pondered Nowi's mixed words while taking a quick sip of her tea. Although her mind was focused on the conversation, she couldn't help but notice how nicely blended today's tea was. Even when she was done sipping, she held the cup close to her mouth, as she thought about what Nowi meant. Finally, she came to a conclusion. "-ahem- Nowi... Are you perhaps pregnant?"

The sheer awkwardness of the question made Nowi hold her forehead in embarrassment, and a blush crawling across her cheeks. This wasn't the first time she messed up conveying messages to people... Coincidentally the subject was eerily close to what happened that one time long ago. If only Tharja was here, then it would almost be the same. At such a question, Gaius couldn't help but join in, "Pregnant? Geez, Bubbles, I didn't think you'd get to work THAT fast. How long has she even been back?"

Robin's face began to light up in a shade of pink at Gaius' crude manner of addressing the situation. "Ah, well... I mean she's... We haven't... Well, we _have_ but... Ehh..." he stammered, trying to clarify the situation but too shaken up by the misunderstanding. "How great is this tea, huh?" he said, taking a sip.

Maribelle's eyes narrowed at the flustered tactician as he took a large drink. Once he put his cup down, she tried to confront him on this confusion again... with a few more questions after that nervous display. "Robin, when you say _'we have' _does that mean-"

"Mm-MM! Such great tea!" Robin interrupted. He tried to keep a possitive face, but the crooked and force smile came off more as insane and, quite frankly, uncomfortable. Maribelle opted to ask further questions when she noticed Robin moving his pupuls in a sweeping motion towards Gaius. It took her a moment, but she caught his message.  
"Oh, Gaius, that will be all for the day. Go on and tend to whatever it is you usually do after hours." she said, dismissing him with a wave of her hand. Gaius, though not showing it, was finally glad to be off duty and walked away to get back into his casual clothes. Though he was interested in what Robin was trying to avoid, he ultimately didn't give it another thought. As long as he was out of the manor before he had to butter another batch of crumpets, he didn't care.

Once Gaius had finally left, the three could talk without fear of inappropriate quips. Maribelle crossed her arms and sat back waiting for either one of the two to explain. Nowi let her hand drop from her face and clasped her hands together, trying to find a way to explain the whole situation. The poor Manakete had forgotten that Maribelle wasn't part of their mission, and she would have no clue that some of the Shepherds would have children. Whether or not she had a good way of explaining the whole thing, something that even SHE still didn't understand, she was certainly going to try.

"Okay, here's the thing Maribelle." Nowi started. She proceeded to explain the situation that had transpired in the past few months. The grown up, future counterpart of Lucina, the ruined future she came from, and the new band of Shepherds that she commanded in their time. Although the details of how they traveled back in time were a bit spotty, the children somehow made it and found their respective parents. Some where still missing from the group, just under half, but it was possible they were on a different continent altogether. Robin then assisted in explaining the two daughters that he would father and the situation between them both. He also had to make a clear point that despite Nah and Morgan's existence, Nowi was not pregnant just yet. As unreal as it sounded to her, Maribelle still understood the explanation they tried to convey. She would need to see some of the children for herself to believe it, but this didn't sound like a lie. Robin was too serious about it, and on top of that, he was never one to lie in the first place.

"I see... Heavens, that's quite the story... To think that we would all be slain by something so cruel as the Fell Dragon... But I suppose it's nice to know that our children survived the ordeal and are going to help us fight against that threat." she mumbled. It was quite disheartening to know that she would probably be dead in a few years, and not from something like old age, but rather being killed by Risen and leaving her would-be child alone. Thinking of that though, Maribelle had another question for the two, "What about me? Do I mother a child of the future? If so, did they come back safely with the others?" Robin shrugged and looked to the side in thought. "It's possible. Lucina did say that she was separated when she came back to the past, so you may meet your child yet. The children we did happen to recover don't seem to have a familial relation to you. What's more, their respective parents seem to already be married."

"Hm, I see. Well, enough of this talk of war and death. Surely you haven't come here to speak about that." Maribelle stated, her attitude perking up somewhat. "Please, Nowi, you must tell me about your travels, and your reunion. I simply must know about your adventures!"

* * *

The hours flew by as the three talked, laughed and traded stories over their respective lives these past few years. One conversation in particular delved into Maribelle confessing her love for Robin, of which the two had made peace with. Despite the drama that followed, Maribelle and Robin maintained their strong friendship, and to Nowi's credit, she held no ill will to Maribelle. She knew all along that Maribelle loved Robin as she did, even if it was to a lesser extent. The blonde noblewoman was just glad that she could laugh about it now. She went on about how she continued her studies to become a magistrate, just as she had before Nowi left. She even went into some pretty hilarious detail on how she contracted Gaius to work for her: She promised him a sizable amount of gold with a package of high quality imported sweets that not even he could get his sticky hands on. Nowi traded stories of her travels across many continents and finding hundreds of Manaketes spread across the lands. They were a simple folk, but she preferred living with humans more as they seemed to be the more interesting race to live among. That's not even mentioning the fact that her heart belonged to a human in the first place.

The sun began to set over the distant hills of Themis, and with the day coming to a close, it was time for the couple to return home. As always, Robin politely thanked Maribelle for allowing him into her home and for pleasant conversation. She and Nowi exchanged hugs with each other at having finally seeing each other after these long two years. After saying their goodbyes, Nowi somehow convinced Robin on taking the 'Dragon express' trip back to Ylisstol. He didn't feel like taking a carriage anyway, as the trip would be a good 2 hours, and Nowi could make it back in a quarter of the time. Though he made her swear to take it easier on the ride back. Thankfully, the Manakete was true to her word, and the flight back was smooth and less turbulent than on their way to Themis. Landing just shy of the palace doors, Robin escorted his lady inside in a mock-gentlemanly manner, to which Nowi played along.

Finally happy to be home, the two made way to see their daughters, after having been away all day long, and not even bothering to tell them of their trip beforehand. Though, to be fair, it was a snap decision. On their way, they happened to bump into Nah who was busy reading a book on her way to the dining hall. "Mother, Father, where have you two been all day? It's almost time for dinner." she asked, placing the book under her arm. Robin tussled Nahs hair gently as he sent Nowi off. "We've just been visiting with a friend of ours. Sorry to worry you. In any case, you go on ahead. We'll wash up and be right there."

Nah straightened her silver locks and reopened her book as she walked down the hall. "Okay, but you better be quick. Morgan's already at the table, and you know she eats like her stomach is a bottomless pit."

Robin shook his head in amusement and crossed his arms. "Nah, you know very well you eat just as much as her, if not slightly more! The same goes for your mother. In fact, the chefs have made it a habit to triple the normal portion because of you three!" he laughed. Nah only giggled at her father's response. "Hey, that's what you get when you decide to have a family of Dragons!" she shot back. "Now hurry and wash up. I heard from Uncle Chrom that we're having bear meat today. You know how much Morgan likes bear meat!" she called as she took off down the hall. Although she didn't want to openly admit it, Nah also had a taste for bear meat. Something she likely picked up from her father.

Robin took her advice and hurried back to his room to freshen up. As he walked down the hall, he thought to himself about what Nah just said a moment ago.

"Huh... 'Uncle' Chrom?" he murmured, sporting a tiny smirk at the thought of such a thing.

* * *

**A/N: Another chapter delving a little bit into Robin and Nowi's relationship. It was kinda leaning on the fluff side, but not really treading into that territory... Although with the awkward conversation with Maribelle, people could argue that point. -3-**

**For those of you who are about to ask, no, Maribelle doesn't know about Brady yet. In fact, half of the New Shepherds aren't even known yet. Why? Because if you pay attention to the map during the paralogues, you'll see that those chapters are taking place on the Valmese continent. So that's why you don't see me writing about them yet. But I will. In due time. **

**Now, back again to the poll. Once again, at time of writing, there is another four-way tie! And the funny thing is that people voted after the last one! So, even with the increased number of votes, it's still anyone's game. I'll be closing the polls soon, so if you haven't voted yet, you know where to go(at least I HOPE you guys do.)**

**Oh, and in a future chapther, there's going to be one specially written for Nowi. I'll bet some of you can guess what it is by now though. But keep it hush-hush! ;)**


	25. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

_Exactly One Week Later._

"Okay, just sit still and relax..." Lissa said, holding her Mend staff above Robin. He had suffered some few cuts and slashes from the previous battle that had just been waged not one hour ago. The scent of oil and smoke weighed heavily on his Grandmaster coat after his latest tactical maneuver. Some would have called it brilliant, while others would have said it was needlessly foolish. Whatever the opinion was, it guaranteed the safety of the Shepherds and a sizable blow to the fleet of Valmese ships that ambushed them as they passed the halfway point to Valm. After a quick stitch job, courtesy of Lissa, Robin stood up from the wooded bed that he sat on and let the next Shepherd be tended to, with a quick word of gratitude.

Stepping out onto the deck of the ship that was currently leading the now smaller Ylissean fleet, Robin leaned onto the port side of the ship and looked back at where the massive blaze took place. Even though it was just under an hour of sailing, and the wind was blowing favorably, the tactician could still see the large plume of smoke that rose from the battalion of sinking ships in the distance. He shuddered to think about the safety of his companions had they been caught in the fire. Were it not for the help of Nowi, Nah and Morgan, carrying a bulk of the army on their backs, they would have suffered some casualties. He made sure to give Naga a silent prayer for the such a fortunate turn of events. In truth, he had wanted his daughters, along with the other children to stay back in Ylisse, rebuild their lives while their parents went on to take care of the war. At first, he thought they had obeyed his concerns, but with the surprising brilliance of Morgan's tactical mind, the entirety of the New Shepherds had stowed away in the hull of the leading ship, where they hid until they would arrive at Valm, but were driven out early to help with the recent battle.

The Grandmaster was, as Chrom once put it, battling with unpleasant thoughts, his daughters having taken on such a dangerous mission, and disrespecting their father. Truthfully, he was more proud than anything else: Morgan demonstrated her budding tactical mind, while Nah and the others showed their expertise in combat. And, most importantly, if it weren't for his daughters Dragon-forms, there would be blood on his hands that he surely would not want to bare. Still, he was less than happy at the injuries they sustained in battle, however minor they may be. He smacked his head on the wooden railing of the ship, conflicted by all the emotions he had to bare on his shoulders as a parent. Happy, angry, proud, somewhat disappointed, and nervous, all at the same time.

The sound of footsteps tapping on the wooded floor of the ship echoed behind him. Turning slightly to see the two Khans and Chrom accompanied by Lucina, he gave a halfhearted wave as he turned his head back and continued looking out to sea. Chrom couldn't help but frown at the greeting. Sure, they just came from battle but he hoped his tactician would be in higher spirits. Especially after having survived such a dangerous move he pulled off.

"What's with that sullen look on your face, boy? You should be proud that you pulled off such a foolhardy move like that and lived to tell the tale!" Basilio boomed, with his mighty voice. Flavia had half a mind to smack the large man. Be she a warrior or not, Flavia still knew the meaning of the word 'sensitivity'. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts about getting back into the battlefield. You should know better than anyone else that there is no time for hesitation during war."

Basilio's words fell on deaf ears. Robin had barely paid attention to what he was saying, continuing to think about the safety of Nah and Morgan. The former reigning Khan simple crossed his arms and stared at the tactician. No clever comeback this time. Whatever was on his mind must have been quite heavy to bare. His gaze soon turned to Chrom, and in response, the prince nodded and walked up to his friend, his newly acquired armor shining in the mid-afternoon sun. The Khans decided to leave everything to Chrom and walked away, leaving the three alone. Mimicking his friend's position, Chrom leaned against the wooded railing of the ship and stared out to sea, not particularly in any direction. A smile slowly curled at his lips as he thought of a way to reach out to his friend.

"Well... Are we just going to stand here all day and pretend like nothing is wrong with you? I hope you're not going to devolve back into that sheltered person I knew back when I first found you two years ago." he mocked. Robin couldn't help but crack a smile at Chrom's less-than-stellar attempt at cheering him up. Raising his head from the railing and resting it on his folded arms, Robin finally responded, "Nothing is wrong Chrom. I'm just wrestling with so many feelings right now."

"I see." Chrom said, nodding. "And would you care to enlighten me on what they may be?"

"That would take all day to explain. I can only do it justice with one word: Parenthood." Robin chuckled.

"Say no more. I can understand the emotional turmoil when it comes to parenthood."

Lucina couldn't help but clear her throat audilby when Chrom spoke. Looking back at his daughter so suddenly, he raised an open palm defensively, "Err... What I mean was all the joy a father can feel when dealing with his children!" he responded. Thankfully, it earned a pleased smile from the lordling. She was not one for too many words, but sometimes her stoic attitude scared even Chrom.

Slowly and cautiously turning back to Robin, Chrom playfully nudged his shoulder. "Listen, being a father already, I can say that it's not easy, physically or emotionally. So, if you ever want to talk about it, you know I'll always be here to lend an ear and provide some friendly advice whenever you need it."

"I know. And that's great to hear, because I need your advice now." Robin chuckled. Having gotten Robin to laugh, if a bit hollow, Chrom felt relieved. He hadn't really prepared to break him out of his doldrums this quickly, but the less time he spent worrying, the more he could focus on helping to win this war. It sounded heartless when Chrom thought about it, but Robin wanted this war to end as much as he did anyway. Regardless of whatever impact the war had right now, Chrom's attention was on his friend and nothing else. "Alright then. Tell me what's been plaguing your mind recently."

"Well... I was thinking to myself on what I should do about Nah and Morgan... You see, I told them I didn't want them involved with this war, that they have seen enough bloodshed for one lifetime and that they should leave the rest to us. However, it seems that Morgan of all people orchestrated a way for her and the others to sneak onboard this vessel and come with us to Valm. Honestly, Chrom, I don't know what to feel right now." Robin held out his hand, counting off his fingers, "On the one hand, I'm very upset that they're coming with us on this journey. It is not as if we can just turn sail and ferry them back to Ylisse. But, on the other hand, were it not for them, we would probably be in more trouble than we've gotten into already today. You see my point?"

"Indeed I do. And no one would blame you for feeling such conflicted emotions. Lest we forget, I was the same just before Lucina was born." Chrom said. Thinking back on those days put an embarrassed blush on the prince's face while Robin smirked. Just days before Lucina was born, Chrom was a complete wreck. He would endlessly pace back and forth through the palace halls and wondered if he would ever be an adequate father. Other days he would wonder if Lucina would even take to him at all, or if she would stay attached to her mother. It drove everyone in the palace mad with having to deal with the rare worrywart Chrom. Even Frederick requested a vacation, having been on wit's end for weeks. "It's funny, isn't it?" Chrom said. "You and I can topple armies by ourselves and live to tell the tale, yet we are easily confounded by our own children."

"As I said before; Parenthood."

* * *

That evening was mostly quiet around the fleet of ships that were en route to the Valmese shores. Except for the sound of waves splashing against the hull of the ship and the creaking of the wood, it was a perfectly quiet night, filled with stars and punctuated by a crescent moon. Out on the deck of the ship was Robin, completely alone, continuing to think about the future. He awoke in the middle of the night because he couldn't help but continue to think about Nah and Morgan. He trusted them and their ability in combat that they more than proved, but the father in him still couldn't help but worry the worst for his kids. It felt odd to him that he would even feel so close to them as he was. He had barely known them for too long, yet he cared so much for them, even if their existence had not been established yet.

The early autumn weather was becoming more apparent with every passing day. The constant gentle wind that blew behind the ship as it sailed forth brought a small chill to Robin. He took a deep breath of the sea air and looked up to the star-dotted sky. Morgan often said if one looked close enough, shapes could be seen. It sounded pretty farfetched but occasionally, Robin would look up to try and see if any shapes truely did form on an unlit night sky. As he focused on the stars, Nowi stepped out onto the deck from the lower quarters of the ship, with a blanket from the bed she and Robin shared draped around her shoulders. She walked over to Robin, the blanket dragging across the smooth wooded floor due to her small height.

"Is something wrong, Robin?" she asked. Robin turned after hearing the familiar voice, and couldn't help but chuckle a bit at seeing Nowi out in the open with the blanket around her the way it was. "No, nothing's wrong. I was just having some time to think." He sat down on the floor against the railing and patted the spot next to him for his wife to join him. The Manakete walked over to him and sat down, draping the blanket over them both.

The two sat together, staring up at the stars in the sky. Robin didn't initiate any conversation, and wanting to know why Robin left her alone, Nowi scooted closer to Robin and leaned her head on his shoulder. "So, you wanna tell me why you're up this late? And please don't tell me you're thinking up new tactics..." she asked. Though she tried to sound nonchalant about it, Nowi was a little bit disappointed on the inside. She feared that Robin was falling back into his old habits of planning strategies late at night instead of spending time with her. Though she would never say it out loud, she dreaded it when Robin said he needed time to think.

"If it will put your mind at ease, I'm not thinking of new strategies right now. I'm thinking of something far more important." he responded. Nowi's mood lifted a bit higher. As long as he wasn't staying up this late for the sake of war, it probably was not that bad. She stayed silent, waiting to see if Robin would continue on with his explanation. Fortunately, he delivered. "After today, I've been thinking about Nah and Morgan. Those two are quite something..." he stated. The answer made Nowi smile in content a little as she couldn't help but feel happy that if Robin would be up late, then at least he was thinking about his children. The pleased dragonkin embraced her husband gently and nuzzled into his neck.

The tactician couldn't help but exhale calmly at being held like this. "So that's it? You're not even going to ask what it is I'm thinking about?"

"I'm sure you would tell me anyway... So go on: Tell me!" she mock-demanded with a giggle. Robin ran his fingers softly through Nowi's blonde hair, leaning his chin upon her head. The familiar scent of roses surrounded him, as it always did. "Nowi, do you ever wonder if we will be good parents?" he asked.

Nowi's eyes went to the sky as she contemplated her answer. "Well... I'd like to think so. But what does that have to do with what you were thinking?"

Robin sighed and loosened the hold he had on Nowi a bit. "The thing is, ever since I met Morgan and Nah, I keep wondering if we've been doing a good job as parents. Granted they haven't been born yet. I sometimes wonder if I'm fit to be a parent."

"I understand. I feel the same way sometimes too... Especially with Morgan." Nowi said. As much as she did love her children, she at times felt that she did not share a solid connection with them. It could have been many things: That they were practically adults already and did not grow up with her, or that she probably was not fit to be a mother at times. Jus like Robin, Nowi shared these fears, though she hid them and chose to keep a straight face. She promised to be there for Morgan and Nah, and despite what she may or may not be as a mother, she intended to keep it. "Don't get me wrong though. I love those two. I haven't carried, nurtered or even raised them yet, but already they're the most important thing in the world to me. It's just... I wonder about the future at times. Nah says she never knew either of us. Morgan somehow remembers you, but not me... I wonder at times if I didn't take care of her as well as I should. She seems to adore you though."

Robin nodded in agreement. Morgan was more attached to both him and Nowi than Nah seemed to be. "True. Nah is a bit more steadfast. She is quite young, for a Manakete and a human, but she insists on acting like an adult. At times I think she sees us as strangers since she grew up without us... I think it's best if we make more time to talk with her."

Nowi stood up from the deck of the ship and held both of Robin's hands into her own. "Maybe. But for now, you should get some sleep. You being up late won't be good for you or any of us. We're supposed to reach Valm tomorrow, and we all have to be in top form if we're gonna make it back alive. So come on. It's time we got back to bed." The tactician smiled at Nowi's concern for him in times where he had none for himself. It was refreshing to see how much she had matured since the time they first met. Although she did contain a childish facade in front of the others to match her appearance, Robin was the only person to see her adult side, he enjoyed having that privilege. He obediently stood up and walked with Nowi, her hand still in his back to the quarters of the ship.

* * *

The following morning was a smooth trip across the large ocean surface. The Shepherds all stood on the deck of the lead ship, watching the shores of Valm slowly approach on the horizon. Chrom stood at the front with Robin, waiting for when the ship would land in the port town ahead. The prince and tactician both stood patiently, yet still eager to make it to their destination.

"Are you ready...?" Chrom asked. Robin nodded in response, "Absolutely. Let's promise to make it home alive..."

Morgan and Nah pushed through the other Shepherds to see their father at the front. Even though they had performed admirably in the previous battle, they knew the mental complications they burdened him with, so said by Lucina who had been eavesdropping on Robin and Chrom's conversation before. Turning around to meet his children Robin had their full attention. "Yes girls? Is there something you have to say?"

The elder sister took a deep breath and clasped her hands at her stomach when addressing her father. "Father... I just wanted to say that I'm sorry that me and Morgan disobeyed you and came here with the others. But you must understand that we only did what we thought was right... We didn't mean to make you worry." She then bowed her head and began to walk back but was stopped by Robin's warm hand on her shoulder. When she looked up to meet his eyes again, she was curious to see not a look of disappointment or even anger, but he was smiling. She couldn't imagine why he would seem happy that they would disobeyed him and threw themselves into danger the way they did.

"Do not trouble yourself anymore about that Nah. I'm not exactly happy that you have to sit through more fighting in this time, but I want you to know that I'm not going to stay mad at you or your sister. As odd as it is for me to say it, you two are old enough to make your own decisions. You don't need me to tell you what to do. But, I want you to promise me that you won't throw yourself needlessly into danger. Remember that everyone here relies on the other, don't try to take on a job that you cannot handle. You may both be Dragons, but you're still my children, and the last thing I would ever want is for you two to get hurt... I'd give my own life before I ever let that happen."

"Don't worry about us, Dad. We'll follow your lead and help wherever we can!" Morgan chimed. "I've been training with Mom for a long time and I think I'm getting better with my Dragonstone. We'll win this war, no matter what, right?" Robin looked at both of his daughters with pride. Even if they weren't born just yet, he was proud of the people they would become. "Right. Just remember-"

"We know; Stay safe."

"Good. Now get ready, we're almost there." As the two Manaketes returned to grab their things and prep for the long campaign, Robin turned back to the shores of Valm, which were now closer than ever before. He could feel a pit forming in his stomach but continued to stay confident. If nothing else, then for his daughters' sake.

"I can see you've come to terms with those conflicting feelings." Chrom said, a proud smile seeing its way across his face. "This is good. Use the love you have for your family to push you through our journey ahead." The prince's words only help to bolster Robin's passion. Now, he was ready to take on the forces that stood before him.

"I'm counting on you all." he said to his fellow Shepherds. All of them raised their weapons high in response. The time for war was here.

* * *

**A/N: Yaaaay... Parental insecurity and no fluff... I know, I'm a terrible person. Well, at least it's better than nothin'. **

**Tomorrow, I will be posting a special, and final, Interlude chapter. Yeah, I know you guys are probably sick of those things interfering with the story, but there's a good reason for it. Look forward to it!**

**Oh, and final note on the poll: I'm going to close it right after I post the next chapter. That way, I can get started on writing some pages for the lucky girl that gets the next MU fanfic. So, you have until tomorrow to cast your votes! Good luck to whoever you chose! **


	26. Inerlude 8

**Interlude 8**

_Southeastern Valm. Three weeks after arrival._

The camp seemed much quieter than normal on this particular day. THe autumn sun hung in the sky, slowly delving behind the large mountains of Valm. To most, it was a normal day. The Shepherds had either stayed quietly in camp, tending with their daily chores, or otherwise relaxing, while some went to the nearest town to take advantage of the unusual silence and endulge in the recreational habits native to this foreign land. Robin was perched calmly upon a crate of weapon shipments, reading a book waiting for Nowi to return with Morgan and Nah from whatever activities they were doing. The tactician was pulled from his rousing novel by the sprightly Anna, by way of flicking the back of his ear playfully. He quickly tore himself away from the pages of his latest book and turned to meet the crimson eyes of the cheerful trickster.

"Hey, not to be rude or anything, bookworm, but I kinda need to unload these new blades here. Gotta take stock and all that. You understand, right?" she said, with her ever-present smile. Scratching the side of his head and closing the book underneath his arms, Robin hopped off the wooden crate. "Heh, forgive me, Anna. I was just too engrossed in this book." Placing the book inside of his coat pocket, Robin watched as his money-obsessed companion pried the crate open. "Would you care for some help? I need to find a way to kill some time until Nowi gets back."

"Geez, you can't afford to be away from the missus for too long, huh? I've barely seen you two apart, on AND off the battlefield! Ah well, that's love I guess." she giggled. "Do you want help or not?" Robin responded, with an embarrased smile on his face. "Ooh, someone's a little sensitive about his lovely wife, huh? But, sure. The quicker I get these babies stocked, the quicker I can sell 'em!"

The tactician and merchant made quick work of the new shipment of weapons, stuffing them into a huge burlap sack that Anna periodically carried during marches. On many occasians, Robin would offer to store the large bag in the convoy, but she refused, saying she didn't want any Shepherds with sticky fingers to get into her stock. Even so, it astounded him how someone with such a thin frame like Anna's could carry such a bloated sack that easily was double her size. Even more mind boggling was the way she could easily retrieve something from this bag with east. One would think it would take quite a while to ruffle through it to find the desired item, but she could pluck out whatever was needed with ease. He had to give her credit where credit was due; Her family truly were experts at their profession.

"Alright, that's the last of 'em. This new stock of staves and lances should keep us going in the next few fights, if I must say so." Anna gushed. She patted the large bag contently, having it replete with the weapons she managed to fit in there. At the same time, the other half of the army was returning from town.

Some of the children were clung close to their parents: Severa was skipping happily along while Frederick seemed to be carrying an unsettling amount of baggage, Morgan was carrying a stack of new books she and Nah purchased on strategies and the proper use of Dragonstones in battle, and Lucina came back carrying a small set of garments fit for an infant. Inigo, who they had met days after landing on Valm only came back with a large, reddened hand print on his face while Brady followed far behind him laughing... typical.

Anna smirked after seeing Robin practically light up at the sight of his wife again, and with a sly giggle she lightly pushed him towards her. "Go on. Go join your lady. If you stand there with googly-eyes all day you'll scare away the customers!" she teased. Returning the same smirk, Robin waved to Anna as he walked over to his family.

Upon seeing their father stride towards them, Morgan and Nah ran ahead of their mother to speak with him. Morgan spoke about the great deals the library had on books that she had to pick, and Nah whispered into Robin's ear about _'that thing' _he wanted her to pick up. Nowi couldn't help but laugh at how their children swarmed around their father. It made her proud to see Nah of the two, warming up to Robin as much as she did. She was no longer the sheltered girl that she used to be when they met her back in Ylisse. After sending the girls on their way, Nowi stood still, her hands behind her back and a smile on her face as Robin approached her. With a quick motion, he sweapt Nowi off her feet and swung her around playfully before hugging her close to him. "Glad to see you were having fun with the kids." he said.

"Well, I'm glad to see the kids so happy around you!" she shot back. The two laughed gently as they stay embraced in each others arms. They looked into each others eyes for a brief moment and despite their own self control, couldn't help but close in on each other. Unconsciously, they kissed, gently staring into each others sparkling eyes. This went on for far longer than intended and even if they wanted to continue, they were cut off prematurely by an annoyed Severa passing by, sparing only one phrase, "Ugh, gag! Get a room, you two!"

Separating suddenly, the two were both pink in the face and looking away at each other, stammering for words. Frederick, still carrying the large amount of shopping bags followed behind his daughter and spared only a sympathetic chuckle. "Remember, self control you two." he said.

Robin's blush only grew until his entire face turned red. "Oh, don't look at me like that, Frederick. What about that time I caught you and Cordelia doing the same thing in the training grounds?" he said with a mocking tone.

"That may have happened, but at least we were alone." replied the knight.

"Every one of the troops, Chrom included, saw you two from the balcony. Don't you remember? Even Lissa saw it."

"You invited them..."

"My point still stands."

The armored knight attempted to make a comeback but was cut off by his daughter calling him from behind to bring in all of their purchases. Sighing roughly, he turned to his daughter and walked away, allowing Robin to have this victory. Turning back to Nowi, Robin held her hand in his. "now then, Nowi, are you in the mood for a quick flight?" he asked.

Nowi nodded her head in response but was a bit confused, seeing as Robin would easily get airsick. "But I thought you hated flying." she said.

"I don't particularly hate flying... I just get an upset stomach when I look down. In any case, if you're in for a flight, there's somewhere I'd like you and me to go for awhile." he said. Nowi pursed her lips as she contemplated what Robin wanted to do. She didn't think too long on it though, as she ran to their tent to go and retrieve her Dragonstone to find out what it was he had planned for her. She returned shortly with stone in hand and the two moved away from camp, whereupon she transformed and the two took to the skies, far away from camp.

* * *

Nowi flew smoothly through the skies as she looked downward, trying to find the location that Robin described to her. It took a bit of searching, mainly due to the unfamiliarity of the continent, but she eventually found it: A grove of trees with pink leaves as opposed to the normal green in a foreign part of Valm. Taking to the ground, she slowly descended and landed softly on the dirt road that lay between the trees. The wind from her wings and re-transformation caused the small pink petals of the oddly-colored trees to flourish around the two, almost magically.

Nowi looked around in awe at the unusual trees that surrounded them. Unlike normal trees, they did not stand straight and tall, but rather "hunched" over. But what really caught her eyes were the leaves that decorated them. Just like the peculiar statues of the trees, the leaves that hung upon them were a light shade of pink and off-white rather than the traditional orange and red that this time of the season would bring. The gentle wind that blew by caused the petals to cascade down upon the two in a beautiful and breathtaking fashion.

"Robin... They're beautiful." Nowi said, almost breathlessly, taken completely by the sight of the unfamiliar trees. She never came across something like this during her journey across the world. She reached up and caught a falling petal and admired the simple beauty of it. Something so new that she had never seen, yet so familiar in many ways. Robin plucked a small twig from a tree, which had a full blooming blossom on the end and placed it in Nowi's hair, just on her right ear. He then walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her midsection, resting his chin on her shoulders. Her long, pointed ears felt refreshingly cold on his cheek. "They're called cherry blossoms. Say'ri told me about them. They're only native to this place, her homeland."

"Wow. I never imagined something so pretty can only be in one place." she said. Gently, she let the petal go watching it swish away into the wind, and wrapped her left hand around Robin's face, running her fingers through his smooth silver hair. They stood there, in the presence of the cherry blossoms and watched the sun set low across the mountains, adding a blurry orange to the beautiful sight of the blustering pink leaves.

Robin reluctantly let go of Nowi and walked ahead of her, down the grove of trees, only to turn back with an outstretched hand. "Come with me. There's something I want to tell you, but I want it to be in the perfect place." he said. Nowi ran after him and held onto his arm, gleefully following him as the two moved at a brisk pace down the dirt road. The petals continued to flurry gently around them, almost as if they were as happy as the couple that they swirled around. Their path ended in an open part of a field, at the end of the grove, and at the center of it lay a small hill which was crowned by a large cherry blossom tree that towered high above the others. Nowi stood once again, agape at the magnificent size of the tree, marveling at the pink and orange haze that bloomed from the top of the twisted and bent, yet still tall tree. Robin walked underneath the shade of the blossoms and beckoned the Manakete with a simple hand motion. Nowi walked to her husband, a smile curling at her lips. She couldn't help but utterly enjoy herself at having this time with him, especially in such a beautiful place. She walked up to her husband underneath the large tree and looked into his sparkling brown eyes. "So, what is it that you wanted to tell me?" she asked.

"Turn around first." Robin responded. "Don't worry, this is all part of it." Humoring him, Nowi turned her back to him, her hands clasped patiently at her back. Robin reached into his coat and pulled out the item he asked Nah to get for him in the shops in town. It was a gold necklace, with an emerald cut into the shape of a perfectly smooth heart. He placed the necklace around Nowi and fastened the clip into place. The Manakete was surprised to see such a beautiful piece of jewelry. She held the heart shaped gem in her fingers and gasped at the magnificent beauty of it. It reminded her of the time Robin proposed to her. But what was the reasoning for such a gift. She turned her head to meet his eyes again for an answer. Robin knew she was a bit confused, which in turn confused him as well. If she would put a little thought into it, she would surely know why he would present her such a trinket.

"From that look, I'm guessing you're wondering why I would give you this, right?" he asked. Not waiting for her to respond, he turned her around and held her close to him, looking deep into her amethyst eyes. "Well, I gave this to you, and brought you to this beautiful place, because I wanted to tell you that I love you Nowi, with everything that i am."

Nowi reached her arms up and wrapped them around Robin's neck and stared into his eyes as well, and with a smile she asked, "Is that the only thing you wanted to say?" Robin couldn't help but chuckle a little in the way she asked her question. It seems like she figured it out. "Is there a reason to say anything else?" he teased.

"I dunno... Is there" she shot back.

A small laugh escaped Robin's lips as Nowi continued to tease him, as he did her. Even with all the matureing she had done with their time together, her childish nature surfaced from time to time, and if nothing else, it only served to make Robin love her more. Cupping her soft face in his hands, Robin leaned into Nowi and pressed his lips against hers again. Thankfully, no one was around to interrupt them this time. As he slowly pulled away, their eyes sparkled in content for each other, resulting in a needy moan from the Manakete, and despite being alone, Nowi couldn't help but blush. Continuing to hold her soft cheeks in his hands, Robin leaned in close to her ear, and whispered gently to her,

"Happy Birthday, Nowi."

* * *

**A/N: Yes ladies, gentlemen and extra terrestrials, today is Nowi's birthday! This is the 'special' chapter that I was referring to a while back. And to make up for the relatively fluff-less previous chapter, this one is flufftastic. (Believe me, if I had continued writing, I would have to up the rating on this story. .3.)**

**This was a pretty short but sweet chapter to write up. I learned about myself today that I am more motivated to write when it involves a lot of fluff... Maybe I'll work more of it into the next chapters. **

**And finally, it's time to close the polls! Thank you all for voting and let's hope your favorite gal won. The winner will have their inaugural chapter written up and posted next week. Once again: Thanks for voting! **


	27. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

"So, we locate the Voice at the Mila Tree, and through her, we can rally the Valmese citizens to help us in our cause. In that way, the resistance group can stand behind the Shepherds with boosted morale, and surely we can make allies in the neighboring towns and villages who would be willing to assist us." The meeting tent was occupied for another mission briefing as it always was. The usual attendees of Robin Chrom and Frederick were there, but also new faces such as Virion, and the Shepherd's newest recruit, the Chon'sin princess Say'ri, who they had rescued on the day they landed at the Valmese harbor. A peerless woman of the blade, she served as a great asset on the field of battle, and with providing information, courtesy of her resistance group that rose up to oppose their brutal emperor. It was due to them that the vanguard of Walhart had not invded Ylisse in the three months it took for them to prepare for their trip. Had they been even a day later, there was no telling how much farther out of hand the stuation could have gotten.

The tactical team rallied around Say'ri's idea of freeing the oracle of the Divine Dragon, Naga, and subsequently, restoring some semblance of hope with the people of this continent. Their exploits during their war against Gangrel had even reached her ears, and she was more than willing to join up with the Ylissean League, as they were known here. With the combined knowledge of her and Virion, Chrom and Robin were able to learn valuable information on the surrounding areas of their current location, and useful methods of attack during the grueling battles they waged through.

"Alright then, so we're agreed?" Robin asked. "Our next target is the Mila Tree. And from their, we can think of our next strategy once we've freed the oracle." Everyone nodded and vocalized their agreement. "Alright then. I thinkthat will do for today. We should move out of camp first thing in the morning and rest up for the rest of the day. The Mila Tree shouldn't be terribly far if this map is accurate... I estimate about a 3 to 4 hour trip to the location. I'll keep thinking of what to do next. Until then, this meeting is adjourned."

With that, everyone said their farewells and exited the tent after putting things back in their proper place. Frederick went back to holding training sessions for the other Shepherds, while Chrom went straight to see Lucina and his newly discovered daughter, who they had met under some awkward circumstances involving impersonation in town. Robin did what he does best: Reading. Almost immediately after he left the briefing tent, he reached into his coat and pulled out the old book that Anna had secured for him.

Flipping through the pages of the occult book, Robin busied himself with delving into the meaning of his Brand, and overall, the Grimleal. Numerous times had he come across Grima in these pages, and some text alluding to the countless attempts to resurrect him after his fall one millenium prior. As he walked forward, he wasn't minding his path and accidentally bumped into someone. Lifting his head up from the book, he saw Nah. Although, Nah seemed to be in rough shape. The hybrid Manakete was sweating, and leaves and twigs were srewn about her hair and pigtails. Robin tucked his book away in his coat and turned his atention to his daughter.

"Sweetheart, what happened? You're a mess." he said. He proceeded to remove the foliage from her silver locks. The twigs entangles in her pigtails were surprisingly hard to remove than he first expected. After getting them out, Nah bowed her head and sighed, "It's nothing Father. I was just playing with Mother... again." The tone she had, coupled with her distressed expression lead Robin to believe Nah wasn't having much fun when it came to playing with Nowi. Morgan sure seemed to enjoy it though, no matter how many times she failed to best her mother.

"Nah, are you alright? You sound like you're in quite the mood. Come, sit with me and talk." Robin lead his daughter over to a half-cut log that served as a bench around some of the fireplaces in camp. Most others were busy with their own business, so they could talk with each other without much fear of interference from anyone. "Now, tell me what's on your mind, dear."

The young girl looked nervously at the ground and twiddled her gloved thumbs together. She didn't know how to put the situation delicately enough to not offend her father, but he was an understanding person. If nothing else, she had some trust that he would understand her. "Father, be honest with me." she said. "How can you stand being around Mother sometimes? She acts so childish, despite her age. I mean, all she ever does is run around camp, playing games, without a care in the world! Don't you find that childish? Perhaps even annoying?"

Robin couldn't help but smile. He derived a bit of pleasure from seeing how his daughter could seem so mature at times, even though she was a kid. To claim her mother be childish, while not entirely untrue, had that hint of ironic humor that made him laugh at times. "It's funny you should mention that. For all her playfullness and your early maturity, I think you two are quite similar in many ways. But no, Nah. I don't find your mother the least bit annoying. She is who she is, and I wouldn't change a thing about her."

The Manakete soon became frustrated at how her father was. There was no way any normal man would put up with something like this. She leaned her head forward, slapping an open palm on her forehead, "Ugh. Father, how can you be so... so nice? If you continue to just let her slide like that, she'll never learn to grow up and be an adult! Honestly... it scares me that someone like THAT is going to be responsible for my care in a few years..."

The tactician really couldn't say much on that. He only placed a hand on her shoulder and waited for her to calm down about all of this. It was surprising for how observant Nah was, she utterly missed how Nowi could indeed be an adult when her maternal instincts took root. In truth, he was confident that when the time comes for them to have children, she would make a perfectly fine mother. Although, since he wasn't privy to Manakete society, it was hard for him to defend her in such regards as he couldn't tell when it was customary for Manaketes to even marry and have children in the first place.

Regardless of how her father supposedly seemed faithful to her mother, Nah couldn't help but think of how completely far apart they were in therms of sheer personality. THe more she questioned it, the more she thought about their relationship itself. "Hey... Father, what do you even like about her anyway...?" she asked, lifting her head up and narrowing her eyes at him. Feeling the coldness in her stare, Robin retracted his hand from her. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"What I mean how you and mother are on complete opposite sides of the spectrum. Look at you for instance: You're responsible, you get work done when it needs to be, and you're a generally serious person. Now Mother, on the other hand, is childish, is always running about playing games, and never takes anything seriously! You know she once told me she doesn't like eating vegetables? How childish is that!?"

The conversation started turning a bit awkward for Robin. He was very well aware of the differences between him and his wife, and he had absolutely no problem with that. But to have his own daughter of all people call him out on it was a little bit embarrassing. "Even so, Nah, I stick by your mother through and through... And if I recall, neither you or Morgan like eating vegetables either... You three ARE Dragons after all, remember?"

"Fine, I'll give you that one. I just don't understand what a man like you would see in mother. It's so unreal, almost like... Like you rushed into marriage somehow?" she asked. Her head began swimming with possibilities of how that could possibly happen. She stuck to her guns that no man would dare stay with a woman that childish unless it was for some sort of obligation. Coupled with her lack of maturity, she was also an entirely different species, so what was it that brought them together? Blackmail? That couldn't be. Bribery? Neither one of them had the coin for that. Then, one possibility stuck out in Nah's head. It HAD to be the answer! "Wait a minute... That's it, isn't it?"

"Nah, what are you going on about?" Robin asked. Her grim expression turned to a somewhat brighter one... one that concerned him greatly. Her narrowed eyes turned into accusing ones, as if she caught him red-handed. "You rushed into marriage! That has to be it! And I know exactly why, too! The timing for me coming to the past was too perfect, so that means you must have gotten her-"

"Nah, you stop right there!" Robin interrupted, standing up from his seat and pointing a finger at her. Nervous drops of sweat trickled down his forehead. It wasn't the fact that her theory was fired off in the wrong direction entirely, but that she would even think of something like that happening. "Trust me, I was very well aware of your mother's more carefree nature... I just so happen to find that quality of her refreshing. ...Yeah. We'll go with that word... _Refreshing_..." he said. He figured if he repeated it, it would make it sound true. There was no way he was going to tell his own daughter _that _side of Nowi was admittedly one of his, as he would put it, _'Guilty Pleasures'_. He already got enough unsavory accusations and odd looks from Chrom. He cleared his throat and continued, "Besides, I'm old fashioned when it comes to relationships. I was married to your mother before I even thought about doing anything..."

Once again, Nah narrowed her piercing eyes at Robin. "I don't believe you. Not one bit, Father. And I'm not going anywhere until you admit the truth!" She stood up with her father and defiantly crossed her arms. If she had to, she'll stand here all day until he admitted the supposed truth to her. That superior tone she took annoyed Robin quite a bit. If she would challenge him like this, than he was willing to take it, anything to get her to stop speaking the way she was.

"Really, now? Well, I've had enough of this. I don't feel comfortable with talking like this about your mother. So, if you're not going anywhere, then I certainly will." and with that, Robin turned his back and left. He was going to no destination in particular, he just wanted some distance for now until Nah would forget about this. This simply was not a subject he was comfortable talking about, even with Chrom. Excluding Nowi, he was the only person who he confided everything with. Fearing that Nah might follow him Robin quickly broke his walking pace into an all-out sprint, surprising his child. "Wha!? Hey! Don't you run away from me, Father! Wait for meeee!" she yelled, chasing after him. This continued far out of camp and into the nearby forest. Nah was certainly persistant and quite the athlete. She easily matched her father's sped, and showed no signs of fatigue. Even if she was half Dragonkin, the blood of her race flowed strong in her.

The human tactician, however wasn't so gifted. He was beginning to get winded and if he slowed down, he would never hear the end of Nah. That moment, an idea quickly sprung up into his head. He was in this part of the forest earlier today with Morgan taking a walk. If he could just remember where 'it' was, he would be free. Sure enough, he found 'it' and ran through that part of the forest, jumping over what seemed to be a harmless pile of twigs and leaves. Nah continued chasing her father, but unlike him, didn't make the effort to jump and fell right into the pit trap that her younger sister dug out just hours before. Finally being able to catch his breath, Robin looked inside of the hole, which looked about four feet in depth. "Nah, are you alright?" he asked. "Sorry about that, but I had to find a way to get you off my tail for a second."

"This isn't over, Father! Eventually we're going to have that talk!" Nah yelled back. "Oh, and now I've got leaves and sticks in my hair again..." From above the two, a familiar voice squealed in excitement, "Wow! I never thought anyone would actually fall for that!" The owner of said voice happened to be Morgan, who jumped down from the tree above. "Dad, that was brilliant! You really are the best!" she praised, her hands tied around her father's arm.

The tactician wiped some sweat from his brow and looked down at the distressed Nah, who struggled to remove the leaves out of her hair once again. "Well, I'm not exactly proud of what I've done. This just seemed to happen in the heat of the moment..." he said. "Listen, Morgan, help your sister out of this hole... after about five minutes... And when you're done, I want you to fill it up so no one will fall in and hurt themselves, alright?"

The budding tactician released her father and gave him a solemn salute. "Yes sir." And watched as her father walked back to camp, extending his apologies to Nah from the distance. Morgan then sat down casually in front of the ditch, crossing her legs and looking down at Nah who rested on the bed of twigs and leaves. The older sister just looked up at Morgan with a blank stare for awhile before saying anything, "So... Are you going to help me out anytime soon?" she asked, extending a hand upward for assistance.

"I would, but Dad said I shouldn't help you yet until five minutes is up... My guess is that he must reallly want to put some distance between you two. What did you do, anyway?"

Nah's hand dropped on the bed of leaves, sighing in exasperation, resigned to her fate. "Don't worry about it... The real question is, why did you bother digging such a deep pit in the middle of the forest? Is this sme kind of practical joke?"

"Well... Kinda." replied Morgan with a giggle. "I wanted to trick Dad into falling in so I could show him that I'm good at tactical misdirection, but he caught on before I could get him to fall in. He said I was acting so odd that he caught wind of it. He did tell me to fill it up before, but I thought I'd leave it the way it is and camp out in the trees to see if I could catch some game in here. Thanks to you, this whole venture wasn't a total waste!"

"You're welcome... It's nice to know I can serve as my kid sister's guinea pig..." Nah huffed.

* * *

The following day took the Shepherds to their newest destination: The Mila Tree. From a distance, the tree was something to behold indeed. Countless tangled roots sprawled across the sun baked dirt that surrounded it. Above the leaves where the trunk extended seemed to be a stone ruin, resting on the many outstretching branches of the large tree. If Say'ri was to be believed, then the Voice of Naga was being held captive there by Walhart's forces. Judging by how important the oracle was to the people of Valm, it should stand to reason that the vanguard stationed here would be mighty. Chrom took no chances with this mission and made sure his army was armed to the teeth. Although, Robin assured Chrom that the geography of the landscape may actually make it a bit easer on them this time around. With the descending nature of the roots that lead up to the old ruins, the Valmese could not use their cavaliers. If they had any mounted units, it would most likely be Pegasus Knights and Wyvern Riders. They would have an advantage on swooping down onto the army, but if they were prepared, they would not need to worry. As always Chrom placed his trust and safety upon the shoulders of his best friend and the company of soldiers marched towards the tree.

The right sun was soon overshadowed by the thick branches and leaves that hovered above them as they made their way up the base of the tree. The luminous plantlife thankfully provided some light as the Shepherds continued on their path. As they climbed higher and higher, the Valmese army and their latest general came into view. Just as Robin had predicted, the slanted battlefield caused the opposing army to resort to flying units to attack. It was almost too easy.

Just before marching into confrontational range, Chrom turned to Robin. "Alright, what's the plan this time?" he asked. Robin looked around the battlefield observing the rest of the troops besides their fliers. Some of them were archers, who also carried axes. That would put their own flying units at risk, should bey be distracted with fighting off the opposition. Aside from them and some rogues who only stood by to pickpocket whatever bodies happen to fall, their formation was solid, but with careful coordination, Robin could break them easily. "I've got it all figured out." he responded, a grin slowly growing as he quickly thought of a formation.

He turned to his fellow Shepherds and requested that all Mages step forward. Tharja, Ricken and Miriel all huddled around their tactician. Then, he requested that the two archers, Virion, and his daughter Noire step forward. Finally, he called upon Nowi to join them. The eight of them, Chrom included huddled together as Robin laid out their attack plan.

"Alright everyone, this plan has to be executed swiftly, but carefully. Look up at the enemy, can you see all of their flying soldiers?" he pointed at the many Pegasi and Wyverns that circled around the venue. "We must take them out first or else the rest of us will be vulnerable to a sky attack. However, there are also bow wielders out there, so we can't afford to get close to them. In light of this, here is the plan: First, Nowi, I want you to fly high above the army, out of the range of the archers. Do not attack them with your breath, or the surrounding area could go up in flames. What you have to do is distract their flying units, then lead them back to us."

"You got it!" the Manakete chimed.

"Next, once they have flown into range, Tharja, I want you to use your dark magic to slow them down so they don't fly too far passed a certain point."

"As you wish..."

"Then, Ricken and Miriel, you two will strike at them with your wind magic. That should blow them away instantly, freeing up our mobility."

"Absolutely." The studious Mage said, followed by a nod from Ricken.

"Finally, Virion, Noire, the rest will fall to you two to stay just in front of the enemy lines, and fire upon their bow wielders. I warn you though, it won't be easy with the position we're currently in, so I ask that you be quick about it but also be accurate."

"Have no fear, for the archest archer, and his pride and joy shall rain down upon them!" the nobleman gushed. Noire wasn't as boisterous, but a sure nod from her gave Robin all the consent he needed.

"Alright then. Once all the strategies have been played, Chrom, it will be up to you to take down their general."

"Understood. Will you accompany me in the confrontation?" Chrom asked, extending his hand. Robin smiled and shook hands with his companion. "You don't even have to ask!" he responded. On Robin's mark, everyone took their positions: Virion and Noire were off to either sides, concealed by the roots and foliage of the tree, while Ricken, Miriel and Tharja all stayed together. Finally, Nowi was up. She walked onto the enemies line of sight, arms raised in submission, to give the rivaling army a sense of surrender, but, she held her Dragonstone in one hand for the very second she needed it. The archers all held their bows armed and ready, aimed at her.

"General, sir! It appears they've sent a young girl ahead of them. Likely a form of surrender, or parley. What are you orders, sir?" asked one of the soldiers. General Cervantes stroked his large mustache in contemplation. "Hmm, the fools. They must expect us to lay our weapons down in the face of a child! Ha! Let's make an example of her then! Archers!" Every single unit in their army held their arrows back, ready to let fly. Nowi squeezed her stone firmly in hand ready for when they attack. After a moment of utter, deafening silence, Cervantes raised his spear. "Fire at will!" and a rain of arrows showered down. Nowi quickly used her Dragonstone and upon her transformation, knocked away the arrows with her wings and took to the skies above them, just out of reach for their ground troops.

"Ah-ha! Clever! Using a Manakete to dodge our archers. Well, we'll just see about that! To arms you winged soldiers of Valm! Crush that Dragon!" Cervantes commanded. All of their Pegasus Knights and Wyvern Riders flew after Nowi. Exactly as planned. Nowi flew about, in a circular pattern to make sure the flyers had her full attention and when they came close to her, she took off, back to where the Shepherds stood. "Oh, such a fool. She's leading us right to her friends. I guess i gave them too much credit for being clever."

Once Nowi had passed a certain point, Tharja used her Mire tome to slow down all of the fliers. Thanks to the additional distance from the tome's properties, it gave Miriel and Ricken enough time ti act, and together, they unleashed a windstorm that blasted away every single flying unit they had off of the battlefield. All that was left were the ground units. Cervantes stood at the tree trun's base, flabbergasted by the way his army had been dealt with so easily. Just under half of them were flying units, and with little to no effort, they were wiped out.

"Hmmm... It appears I truly have underestimated them... Well, no more. Everyone! CHARGE!" And with that command, everyone, including Cervantes himself ran towards the Shepherds, swords, axes and bows raised and loaded for their assault. As they approached closer and closer, they began falling to the ground, one after the other. At first, Cervantes couldn't understand the situation. They all seemed so ready to fight but after inspecting the bodies of his men, he realized that they were all pegged with arrows. He looked frantically for wherever these hidden archers were, but could see no one. He tried to command his army to cease action and return, but by the time he had the chance to, his army was completely shot down.

Saying his once large vanguard of soldiers was in shambles was a generous statement. They had all been separated and broken quite easily and in such short time too. Within 10 minutes, an army of 50 men was dwindled into one. He stood there, amidst the bodies of his proud subjects as the only survivor. He knew that if he fought them now, he would possibly lose, yet, he stood his ground and pointed his lance only to Chrom.

"You! Prince! You may have beaten my army with sly tricks, but not I! We shall settle this bout in a duel, man-to-man!" he shouted Chrom looked back at the general and unsheathed Falchion in challenge. It looks like Robin wouldn't be joining him after all. "Fine. If I win, then you take this message of your defeat to your Emperor, and let him know we will not stop until he has been put down." Chrom responded. He bravely walked up the path to face the general and the two engaged in combat.

The fight between them was long and arduous., it lasted for a little while longer than the battle leading up to it was. Eventually, after the long confrontation, Chrom got the upper hand and was able to somehow knock Cervantes down onto his back. His large armor gave him the look of a struggling turtle, but Chrom kept his sword edge pinned to his throat. "I'll not kill you today. You must relay the message I have given you, and tell your Emperor to be ready. But should you ever want a rematch, then I'll gladly take you on. For now, I believe we have an Oracle to save."

As much as the general hated losing, he had no choice but to back down on this fight. Resisting any longer would not serve anyone but his enemy, and if his adversary were giving him the opportunity to warn his Emperor of their looming threat, then he was prepared to take that chance. Rising from the ground he backed away and looked at Chrom with threatening eyes. "You will regret the day you let me go, prince, I swear it. Oh yes, you will rue the very day you decided not to finish me off! Until our next meeting, I wait until I skewer you at the end of my lance..." Without a retort from Chrom, he vanished among the many twisting roots of the tree.

The Shepherds all walked up the path behind Chrom and joined together again. Say'ri separated herself from the crowd to congratulate Chrom and Robin on yet another job well done. The Chon'sin princess was ecstatic to finally be able to rescue the Voice of Naga and raise the spirits of her resistance group. Letting her take the lead, Chrom and his army followed her up the tree further to the ruins that housed the captive oracle.

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**A/N: Phew... Finally got this chapter done. This took a while mainly because I was doing a lot more editing than usual, and because I was focusing on the new fic. Speaking of which, I should say that due to the new fic, I'm going to slow down the updates on this story for a little while and shift focus on the other one for now. Go ahead and check it out if you haven't. I've gotten some pretty good reviews on it!**

**But keep calm. That doesn't mean I'm going to outright stop updating this story. It's just going to be a little slower than usual. You can expect at least one update every week and a half while I focus on the other story. In the meantime, I'll be able to jump around to this one and slowly write more chapters for it, so it's really not so bad.**

**EDIT: Wow. 30 thousand views! That's awesome! I can't believe how popular the story is becoming. All of you guys are awesome for putting up with my delays and such. Thank you for your patience everyone! **


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